Dawning
by deleria
Summary: After years of silence the Akatsuki are active again. Her allies uncertain, the Godaime sends two teams - one for a potential offensive strike and another for covert surveillance. Who would have guessed that Shikamaru and Sakura could fake it as newlyweds so well? ShikaSaku with early (one-sided) hints of SasuSaku. COMPLETE.
1. morning brings clarity

**DISCLAIMER:** If you think I own Naruto then you need to step away from the fanfiction. The sooner, the better. :P

**AN:** This fanfiction takes place in the future. Naruto and crew are 18/19 years old. This means they are either Chuunin- or Jounin-level shinobi. It is also an alt. pairing fic.

I am using the manga story line up to chapter 236 or so. Everything after that point is my own creation. So I guess you can consider this to be an AU. Remember that before telling me that this character died or that character survived or what the true motives are for Akatsuki, etc. I keep up with the manga so I am aware of current developments.

I started to write this before it was confirmed that everyone had survived the initial mission to bring Sasuke back to Konoha (BEFORE the time skip). So, yeah... I have Chouji dead in this fic. Sorry. I didn't do that because I don't like the guy - I did it because I really thought the poor kid had died.

That said, I do make it a point to try to keep all of my characters 'in-character.' Due to rapid developments in the current manga storyline, it is impossible for this fic to completely fit within the cannon. As much as I would like it to fit, it is impossible to do that now.

And now... on with the fic!

**dawn·ing (_v._): **_(1) to begin to become light in the morning; (2) to begin to appear or develop; emerge;  
(3) to begin to be perceived or understood_

* * *

**dawning**

**.:morning brings clarity:.**  
chapter one

* * *

From her days as a Genin to the moment she accepted the title 'Hokage,' Tsunade didn't like to wait. Especially when the need to act had been gnawing on her guts since the day she first learned of the Akatsuki. She was known for moving when others hesitated and speaking up when her peers remained mute. Time and experience had taught her patience, but there were still occasions that set her hands fidgeting.

Rhythmically clicking her fingernails together, Tsunade stood on the balcony that overlooked Konoha. The streets below were empty. Only a handful of residents who had to rise before dawn to open their businesses or deliver various goods were up and about. Unless pulling an all-nighter, Tsunade was rarely awake at such an hour. On this developing summer morning, it would have been impossible for the Hokage to sleep. A very important piece of information was coming her way and it required her immediate attention.

Hoping for the best, but fearing the worst, Tsunade clenched her jaw. Years of investigation yielded nothing concrete. She could neither confirm nor deny if the Akatsuki had disbanded. After the war with the Sound and Orochimaru's death, the group of S-class criminals went dormant. In the beginning, her fellow kages were as suspicious as she was, but time had a way of changing perception. After years of silence, most of them simply accepted that the group no longer existed. Even without proof.

Tsunade wanted to believe that, too. Accepting that assumption would certainly help her sleep at night, but she knew in her gut that it just wasn't true. She could never shake the feeling that the Akatsuki Organization was in 'wait mode.' Waiting for her and her allies to let their guard down. Waiting for a prime moment of weakness to strike.

As Hokage, she couldn't allow such a moment to occur.

With a sigh, Tsunade folded her arms over her chest and resisted the urge to pace. She really hated waiting. Anxiousness zigzagged up her spine and electrified her nerves. The longer she waited the more nervous energy her body created. It was starting to pool in her extremities, demanding release. Shifting her weight, Tsunade sucked in a deep breath and tried to relax. If her informant bore bad news, she would need a clear mind in order to plan Konoha's next move.

Currents of air suddenly swirled around her, lifting strands of blonde hair to twist around her face. She didn't acknowledge the arrival of the veteran ANBU until he spoke.

"Hokage-sama," he said, voice quiet and respectful. Sitting perched on the balcony railing, the shinobi's body bore testimony to his long night of hard travel. Sweat dripped from his brow, moistening his breath muffle and causing silver hair to cling to his skin.

Tsunade regarded him with well-trained eyes and frowned. He looked horrible. Exhausted. "Come inside and sit," she held the door open and motioned for him to enter. "You look like hell, Kakashi."

The ANBU stepped into the office ahead of the Hokage and found a seat near her desk.

"Thirsty?" she asked, motioning to a tray with two empty glasses and a pitcher of water.

"Yes."

Tsunade filled a glass and handed it to him. Mask hanging loose around his neck, he quickly consumed the liquid.

"You shouldn't drink it that fast," she chided.

He swallowed and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "I always drink this fast."

Sighing, Tsunade sat. She only allowed him a few seconds to get comfortable before she tapped her fingers twice against the desk and said, "Alright, let's get down to business."

"Six days ago," he said, refilling his glass, "I received word that our contact in the southern province of the Wind Country needed to meet with me. I made it to our designated rendezvous point and waited there for 24 hours." The ANBU paused to drink, "He never showed."

Tsunade raised a brow. "Ryozo didn't show?"

"Hn."

"You investigated?"

"I used Pakkun to track him down," Kakashi finished his water and leaned back in his chair. "I haven't been able to find him. He hasn't contacted me or any of his other sources. I believe he's been killed."

_'This isn't good,' _Tsunade thought. Worry hardened in her belly, forming a tight knot.

"Were you able to confirm this?" she asked.

"No, but you know how dependable he is."

Tsunade nodded.

"I sent Pakkun to scout the location where Ryozo was staying. It had been burned down."

Heart thumping hard in her chest, Tsunade's mouth went dry. Konoha spies had a very closely guarded system for protecting top secret information. In case of agent capture or death, a Konoha shinobi would be sent to retrieve the scrolls left behind by the spy. If they still existed.

By all appearances, the scrolls looked very mundane. Some contained recipes, some were filled with haiku or short stories, but all appeared completely innocuous. Only the spy sent to gather the intelligence and the Hokage who sent him knew the jutsu to unlock the scroll. Once unlocked, the camouflage text transformed into detailed reports.

Very few people knew that such a system existed. High level ANBU and a select few special Jounins were told of the scrolls. The fact that Ryozo was missing, and the house he had been staying in was burnt down sent a cold chill down Tsunade's spine.

Itachi knew of the system, and therefore, the Akatsuki knew as well.

_'But the contingency plan,'_ Tsunade thought. _'Ryozo wouldn't leave his scrolls someplace so obvious. He must have—_

"There wasn't much left of the house," Kakashi continued. "Pakkun didn't search for bones, and I didn't ask him to. I didn't want to expose my presence to the arsonist."

"You know for sure it was arson?"

The ANBU rubbed his nose. "Yes. It looks like someone used Ryuuka no Jutsu to set it."

Kakashi's observation gave Tsunade some hope. The Ryuuka no Jutsu, a fire jutsu, was considered a Konoha specialty.

"You think Itachi set it?" the Hokage asked.

The veteran ANBU nodded.

"But there is a chance that it _wasn't_ an Akatsuki member."

Kakashi hesitated, sighed.

'_I wonder when he last slept?_' Tsunade studied the tale-tail signs of exhaustion on him. '_He's thinking remarkably clear for a man so obviously fatigued. It seems he drained much of his chakra to get here this morning. Anyone else would have passed out from exhaustion by now..._'

"Perhaps Ryozo was covering his tracks," she said, pushing him in the direction of her hopeful suspicions. "He knows some fire jutsus. And something like that would be in his nature, wouldn't it?"

"That's true," he agreed.

"How long has it been since you've slept, Kakashi?"

"A few days. I took a soldier pill about four hours ago. I'm close to crashing," he admitted quietly.

She frowned at him, then sighed. "I see."

Leaning back in her chair, Tsunade tapped her chin with her index finger. "In any case, the scrolls were probably destroyed in the fire. One possibility is that his cover was blown, so he destroyed the house to prevent what he learned from falling into the wrong hands."

"I was able to locate a scroll," the ANBU said.

Tsunade's brows shot up.

"I summoned the Fang Dogs to search for them and they were able to find _one,_" he said, reaching into his vest and pulling out a dirt smeared scroll. He placed it on her desk and pushed it toward her.

Tsunade turned the scroll over in her hands, inspecting it for any obvious signs of tampering. Even though his Sharingan eye was completely covered, Kakashi looked away, allowing the Hokage a brief moment of privacy to perform the seals necessary to unlock the scroll. Only when he heard the parchment unravel on her desk did he turn his attention back to her.

"Where did you find this?"

"It was buried about a quarter of a mile from the house," he said, chin resting on the palm of his hand.

"Mmm."

Kakashi bit back a yawn as Tsunade poured over the scroll. Wearing her very best poker face, her expression gave nothing away. Several minutes ticked by and the copy ninja was starting to lose his battle against his need for sleep. The muffled click of her fingernail as she tapped on an entry that caught her interest gave him a start.

"This should shut the old men up," she commented dryly. "Based on Ryozo's observations, there's no doubt that the Akatsuki is active again... but I doubt the Mizukage and the Tsuchikage will accept this as proof of anything. The Kazekage will take it seriously though."

"Was the Kazekage mentioned specifically?"

"No, but the Wind Country was," she said. "So was the Earth Country. You can be sure that Gaara will be very interested to learn what we know."

"But the Mizukage and Tsuchikage won't?"

"Oh, they would be interested," The Godaime's lips parted into a cold grin. "The Wave Country and Earth Country have _always_ been interested in our intelligence gathering. And they've always questioned it. They will be the first to cast doubt on Ryozo's observations. That's why I don't plan on sharing this information with them just yet. I'm tired of playing their political games. I want evidence. And I want to rub their noses in it. Then their little façade of being our allies will finally be exposed for what it is."

Tsunade rolled the scroll back up. With a quick nip of her thumb, she smeared blood across the outside and sealed it once more.

"Kakashi, go home and get some sleep. I need you well rested for your next mission."

The ANBU gave her a curious look.

"You and Shizune are to go to the Earth Country tomorrow evening to follow one of the leads in this scroll. I'm sorry I can't give you more time to rest, but this is too important to wait."

He nodded.

"I want Naruto and Neji assigned to your squad."

Standing, he stretched his arms up over his head. "That sounds fine."

"I'll have Shizune gather and brief the team while you rest. I want you to lead."

Another nod, then the lower half of his face disappeared behind his mask.

"There's also a chance you'll encounter Itachi," she added.

"Then Gai should come, too."

Tsunade pushed a lock of hair out of her eyes and sat back in her chair. Sending Gai to the Earth Country made sense, but she quickly changed her mind when another use for him occurred to her.

"Gai taught Lee how to fight a Sharingan user," she said. "Take him. Gai should remain here for now. We have to prepare for the worst. If the Akatsuki is active and the missions to the Earth Country and Wind Country fail, we should assume that they will eventually come to us."

• • •

The pillow smelled of him. Musky and dark. It pleased her to detect a hint of her perfume intermingled in the bouquet of aroma. It was comforting, thrilling and a little scary all at the same time. Like a dream come true. After years of wanting him to notice her, he finally did. And now she was in his bed. The heat of his body next to hers made her feel good all the way down to her toes.

The words he whispered into her neck the night before still lingered in her mind.

_'I've taken you for granted,' he said, the warmth of his breath sending tingles down her spine. 'I won't do that again...'_

The kiss that followed those words turned her insides to jelly. Though she hadn't had as many boyfriends as Ino, Sakura wasn't inexperienced when it came to kissing and fooling around. She'd had flings before. Gone out on dates. Even had a boyfriend for a couple of months when she was 17. Her desire to be the best kunoichi in all of Konoha was the excuse she used to explain her lack of a love-life, but everyone knew the unspoken truth. Sakura simply couldn't let an old flame die.

The greediness of his kisses left her breathless. She wanted to go slow, to savor the moment, but his need overwhelmed her.

_'I want you, Sakura. Always.'_

Her fragile resistance crumbled to dust. He was leading her to the bedroom, pulling at clothes and nipping at flesh. She submitted to his need, relishing in the wonderful feeling of being wanted by the one she loved for as long as she could remember. When the deed was done, she fell asleep beside him, her heart filled with the promise of a new chapter of her life... with _him._

But now it was morning. Sunlight burned her eyes and chipped away at her confidence. Self-doubt nagged her heart. Everything happened so fast... did she make a mistake? Was this really the start of something wonderful...?

Her heart quickened when she felt him stir beside her. His eyes blinked open and stared at the ceiling.

"Good morning," Sakura whispered, eyes full of hope as they stared at his profile through long-locks of disheveled pink hair.

His jaw muscle jumped. "...'morning."

The silence that followed his half-hearted greeting made her stomach twist into knots. Without another word, he rose from the bed and made his way to the bathroom. Sakura cringed from his coldness, her worry strengthened by the fact that he didn't even look at her.

_'Oh, no... no, no, no...'_

Not knowing what else to do, Sakura remained in bed. Sheets pulled up to her chin, she eyed her discarded clothes. Her panties were the closest to the bed, but the rest of her clothes were scattered all around the room. Sakura wondered if she should get dressed when Sasuke made a reappearance.

He pulled on a pair of boxers and looked at her for the first time that morning.

"You should get dressed," he said, voice distant. Cold.

She blinked, and felt her mouth go dry. Her clothes were out of reach. Even though Sasuke had already seen her naked, even been inside her, she didn't want to expose herself to him. Especially when he was being so curt.

Clutching the sheets in a white-knuckled fist, she said, "Could you... hand me... my... clothes?"

The annoyed expression he wore when he complied with her request made her want to cry.

She pulled on her panties as he pulled a shirt over his head.

_'Maybe... maybe he has an appointment he has to go to,'_ Sakura thought hopefully. _'Maybe he's just grumpy because today is supposed to be his day off...'_

Wanting to believe his detached demeanor had nothing to do with her and what they did the night before, she asked, "Do you have a meeting this morning?"

"I don't," was the deadpan reply.

Dread solidified in her gut. Throat constricting and eyes stinging with unshed tears, she willed herself to keep calm.

_'He said he wanted to be with me... he said he cared about me...'_

Clinging to his words from the night before, she found the nerve to swallow the lump in her throat and speak once more. "Do you want to get together later?"

"I have things to do today," Sasuke said, offering her the rest of her clothing, "You should leave."

• • •

Naruto was the first to dig in. Chopsticks heavy with food, he filled his mouth to capacity. As soon as he got one mouthful of ramen swallowed, another load of noodles quickly followed. The pace of his eating was almost too much to watch. The more he shoveled into his mouth, the more Ino began to feel sick. Worse, Kiba and Shikamaru ate in pretty much the same fashion.

_'Men can be such pigs when they eat,'_ she thought with disgust.

"Hey, Ino," Naruto eyed her bowl of half-eaten ramen. "Aren't you hungry?"

"I was," the blonde kunoichi muttered, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "You guys eat like you haven't been fed in days."

Kiba wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "That's how it feels."

"Didn't they give you any food?" She asked.

"They did," Naruto said. "But it tasted like crap."

The dog sitting patiently beside Kiba barked in agreement.

"It _was_ pretty bad," Shikamaru agreed.

Ino picked a chunk of beef out of her ramen and chewed it slowly. "Weren't you guys sent to guard some Feudal Lord... Fishy-something?"

"Fushi," Shikamaru corrected around a mouth full of food.

"Right. Fushi," Ino said. "He's rich. He didn't have a good chef or something?"

Shikamaru snorted. "He's too cheap to do something so troublesome."

"But I heard he made a special request to the Hokage," Ino said.

Kiba smirked. "I don't think the Godaime will take anymore special requests from Fushi anytime soon."

"Eh?"

"Fushi is a cheap-skate," Shikamaru said, voice heavy with sarcasm. "He told the Hokage that he needed two shinobi to guard his daughter and a few of her important '_guests.' _He wanted a third shinobi to investigate a couple of high-ranking people. A mission like that is a perfect C-class mission for a rookie Chuunin and a handful of Genins, but this guy insisted that we classify it as a B."

"That's right. And he told Tsunade-oba-chan to send the best Jounin in the village," Naruto merrily piped in. "So naturally _I_ got stuck with the job."

Kiba rolled his eyes.

"You probably volunteered for it just to get the extra cash," Shikamaru said.

Mouth full of food, the blond Jounin grinned with his eyes.

"That was my reason for going," Kiba said.

"Anyway," Shikamaru cut in. "It sounds like an easy mission, right?"

Ino nodded.

"Well, Fushi forgot to tell us that Naruto and Kiba would be guarding a wedding reception. With at least 400 guests. Civilians." Shikamaru paused to eat some of his ramen before continuing. "He wanted me to do background checks on about 40 dignitaries from the Fire Country, Wave Country, Earth Country and Wind Country _and _organize the security at this reception. So we told him it was too troublesome for just three shinobi. Naruto, with his Kage Bushin, could have guarded the guests, but the job as a whole was ridiculous."

"Not to mention the fact that he lied to begin with," Naruto added.

Ino blinked, "He really wanted you guys to do all that?"

"I said the man was cheap," Shikamaru said.

"What did he say when you told him you couldn't do everything he wanted?"

"He got pissed and sent us back," Kiba said as he waved down a waitress. "Said he could hire a couple of Jounins from the Grass Country to do everything he hired us to do, for half the price." He rolled his eyes, "Pft. Good luck with all that."

The waitress took Kiba's empty bowl.

"Could I get more ramen?" Naruto smiled up at the server. "Please?"

"Me, too," Kiba said.

The waitress nodded, and made note of the request on her pad of paper.

"Would you like anything else?" she asked Shikamaru and Ino.

Ino smiled politely, "I'm fine."

"I'll take another bowl," Shikamaru said.

With a nod and a smile, the waitress promised to return shortly with the next round of their meal.

"I can't believe you guys are still hungry," Ino commented dryly.

"Feh." Kiba rubbed Akamaru behind the ears, "That Fushi guy only gave us one shitty meal. One!"

"But you guys got back last night, didn't you?"

"We got back late and I know I went to sleep as soon as I got home," Naruto took a drink of his beverage. "This is breakfast for me."

Ino sighed. She hadn't expected to be eating lunch with Naruto, Kiba and Shikamaru. Running in to them on her way to her parent's house had been a whim. She chatted with them for a few minutes before Naruto's stomach began to growl. When they invited her to join them for lunch, she didn't want to say no. Being around them, especially Shikamaru, reminded her of old times. It was nice.

Another helping of ramen set before the three men, they quickly went to work devouring it. Ino watched them eat for a few minutes before shifting her attention to the tables surrounding theirs. The lunch-time rush was just beginning to peak and the seats were filling up fast. It never ceased to amaze Ino how much things had changed from her days as a Genin. It wasn't too long ago when the Ichiraku Ramen Shop was nothing more than five stools and a bar. Now it was a restaurant. With tables, waitresses, busboys...

Sipping her drink with a straw, Ino's eyes wandered to watch the pedestrians on the street. A young man about her age caught her eye. Tall, cute...

_'...and taken,'_ Ino thought, when she spotted the girlfriend in tow.

The blonde woman shifted in her seat. The lull was making her uncomfortable. She grew up with Shikamaru. Their father's were best friends. They even dated for a few months after she became a Chuunin. But she didn't know Kiba and Naruto all that well. They were friends, certainly, but not close friends.

As she sat watching the people walking by and trying to think of something to say to spark another conversation, a familiar head of pink hair caught her eye.

"Be right back," she said in a rush as she hastily got up from the table. Making a beeline for the door, she called out to her best friend just as she was about to cross the street. "Hey, Sakura!"

The young woman paused mid-step and turned her head to see who was calling to her.

Ino moved around a slow moving pedestrian to catch her friend's sleeve, "Sakura, I'm so glad to see you!"

"Hi... Ino."

The blonde kunoichi hesitated and peered at her friend. There was a droopiness about her, a detectable note of sadness that caused Sakura to appear lackluster and plain. "Is something wrong?" Ino asked.

Sakura hesitated for only a moment, and then smiled. Pushing a long lock of hair behind her ear, she shook her head. "No coffee this morning," she said.

"And your hair is down," Ino added.

Sakura shrugged. "I was in a hurry."

Ino peered at her long-time friend thoughtfully. For years, she had tried to talk Sakura into cutting her hair. Or at least doing something different to it - something _other_ than just braiding it day after day. And now it was down. Long, loose waves of pink hair spilled freely over her shoulders and appeared haphazardly brushed. On top of that, her hitai-ate was missing. After her experience in the chuunin exam, Sakura made it a point to keep her locks under control and that usually meant keeping it pulled back in a braid, even when she wasn't on a mission or on-call at the hospital.

But not today. It just seemed... odd.

"Are you sure everything is okay?" Ino pressed.

"I'm fine," she said. "Really."

As Ino studied her, Sakura's smile widened, revealing dimples. Ino knew Sakura had become fairly good at hiding her emotions, but not _that_ good. Something was up. Ino could feel it in her bones. Then a thought struck her and her blonde eyebrows lifted in wonder, "Did something happen last—"

"What are you doing out here?" The medic-nin said, cutting her off in mid-question. "I mean, I thought you had plans for the day."

Ino blinked at the interruption, but said nothing about it. Sakura was still smiling. It seemed more relaxed and natural, but still... something didn't seem to be quite right.

"Weren't you planning to go out shopping today?" she continued, "New shoes or something..?"

"Shoes, a couple of new sports bras and whatever else catches my eye," Ino said with a grin. "And you should come with me, by the way. You could stand to improve your wardrobe. I've seen the boring stuff you wear under your tops. Terrible."

"Ino!"

The blonde kunoichi waved off her protest, "There _are_ stylish sport bras out there, Forehead. And you can certainly afford to splurge a bit on yourself. Anyway, I was on my way to stop by my parent's house before hitting the marketplace when I ran into Shikamaru. Naruto and Kiba were with him, so we got lunch."

"Oh."

Gesturing to the ramen shop behind her, Ino said, "You should join us."

Sakura hesitated. "Well... I..."

"You don't have training with the Godaime now, do you?"

"Well, no... but I..."

"Good!" Ino grinned. "Come join us for some food. It's been a long time since all of us had a chance to sit and chat. We can all catch up."

Still hesitating, Sakura didn't budge.

Refusing to take no for an answer, Ino grabbed Sakura's arm. "Come on," she pulled her toward the restaurant. "You have nothing to do right now so there's no reason to not visit for awhile. Besides, it'll cheer you up."

"I don't feel like—"

"Come on," Ino maneuvered the two of them through the pedestrian traffic on the sidewalk. "It'll just be for a few minutes."

Already moving past the threshold of the shop, Sakura muttered, "Okay..."

Ino grinned and grabbed an empty chair for the pink-haired medic.

"Sa-ku-ra-chan!" Naruto said singsong. The endearment remained long after the crush ended. Even so, his joyful greeting still managed to color the young woman's cheeks.

The males made room for Sakura, thoroughly crowding the table with arms and elbows. The lighthearted conversation that followed was very amiable. Now that the guys were sated with food, they were quick to smile and joke, trading barbs and talking up their ninjutsu skills.

Sakura smiled through it all and her mood seemed much improved, but Ino knew her mind was elsewhere. Probably on a certain dark-haired Sharingan user who only wanted to be around the pink-haired girl on his 19th birthday. Ino smiled to herself as she wondered how the evening went. For a brief second, she wondered if her moodiness when she first encountered her on the street had anything to do with him. In years past, he could dampen her spirits faster than anyone or anything, but seeing her now, her lips curled into a grin and eyes reflecting her amusement, Ino was certain that it had to be something else bothering her.

'_Sakura has made huge strides with Sasuke,_' Ino thought as she watched her friend out of the corners of her eyes. After all the heartache that Sakura had suffered due to the last Uchiha heir, it seemed that she had finally gotten through to him. It was remarkable how patient Sakura had been with Sasuke. Even Ino, who had once pined for him, found herself growing cold toward him after he had been dragged back to the village. But not Sakura. Ino had worried about her for a long time - worried that she wasn't seeing him for what he truly was, but the medic-nin kept insisting and stubbornly kept working with him through his rehabilitation.

And, grudgingly, Ino had to admit that she may have been wrong. That's not to say that Ino had completely forgiven Sasuke for what he did, but she trusted Sakura's judgment (at least most of the time - she still had terrible taste in clothes that did absolutely NOTHING for her petite figure) and that was enough. Now it seemed like Forehead's patience had finally paid off. When the moment presented itself, Ino decided to give her friend a good-natured tease as she fished for information about the night before.

"You seem kind of tired, Sakura," Ino said, a smirk playing about her lips. "Late night with Sasuke?"

Sakura and Naruto both froze in their seats, each wearing completely different expressions. One seemed distressed and the other perturbed. Focused on her friend, Ino knew she had hit a nerve. A very tender and very deep nerve. As soon as the question left her lips, the color drained from Sakura's face. Her green eyes suddenly watery, Ino was certain her best friend was only seconds away from crying. The transformation was so quick and thorough, Ino feared something horrible had happened.

"Sa... Sakura," she fumbled, feeling terrible for causing her friend such distress as her protective urges began to coil within her. "I—"

"You mean, 'late morning,'" Kiba said between swallows of his beverage, the only one unaffected by the sudden tension.

Four pairs of eyes moved in his direction.

"I didn't think the guy was interested in women," he continued, oblivious to Sakura's sudden heartache. Still trying to keep up the good-natured tease, he said, "With the way he's so obsessed about his skill level and revenge and everything."

"Kiba, don't," Ino warned.

Sakura swallowed hard. Naruto glared.

"But my sense of smell tells me otherwise," the dog-ninja tapped the side of his nose, smirked and then winked. "You slept with him, didn't you?"


	2. objective

**dawning**

**.:objective:.**  
chapter two

* * *

"Shut up, Kiba!" Naruto yelled.

Shikamaru groaned inwardly. Several nearby patrons paused in whatever they were doing to glance in their direction. A few scowled when they saw who was making the commotion while others were far more dismissive. He wasn't alone in noticing the reaction of those around them. Sakura, already flush from being the focus of conversation, was quickly turning beet red.

_'This is going to become _really _troublesome,'_ the lazy Jounin thought with a deep sigh. Across the table from him, the smirk the dog ninja wore when he first began teasing Sakura instantly withered under Naruto's exasperated glare.

"What?" Kiba shot back, "What's the big deal?"

"You don't know what the hell you're talking about," Naruto hissed. "Idiot!"

The table fell silent as the two shinobi glowered at each other. Even Ino took part in the war of stares. Shikamaru wondered if there was a way to escape the situation while Sakura sank deeper into her seat.

"Hey, guys," the lazy Jounin looked from one troublesome loud mouth to the other. "I'm due to give a report to the Godaime pretty soon. How about we pay our bill and go?"

He may as well have been talking to the wall. Sakura gave him a brief, thankful look, but no one else bothered to acknowledge what he said.

Expression cocky and arms folded over his chest, Kiba pointed his chin at the girl, "Why don't you just ask her, Naruto?"

The question brought a wave of anxious silence. Sakura froze in her seat, head down and long, pink hair hiding her face. It was a sad sight and Shikamaru couldn't help but feel a little sorry for her.

"Sakura-chan..?" Naruto asked, voice straining to be pleasant in spite of the frustration growing inside.

Still refusing to look up, she said nothing. Her uncharacteristic silence was all they needed to hear to know the truth. Even Naruto, for as dense as he could be sometimes, knew what Kiba said was true.

Jaw muscles jumped and twitched as Naruto's blue eyes lost all trace of his normal geniality. "Did he take advantage of you?" he asked, voice low and fierce.

"N-no," Sakura paled, stuttered. "O-of course not! I—"

"Don't defend him!"

"Naruto... Shut. _Up._" Ino tipped her head toward the people sitting around them. "You're going to make a scene."

Finally aware of the attention being drawn to their table, Shikamaru was impressed to see Naruto's anger visibly begin to deflate. His eyes still shined with ire, but it was contained. Controlled.

"I just... You..." Frowning, Naruto grit his teeth and tried again. "You always... you forget that Sasuke is _dangerous._"

Shikamaru shifted uncomfortably in his seat. No one said a word. Sakura barely moved while Ino chewed on her lip, obviously at a loss as to what to do next. It was hard to retort such a statement. Sasuke _was_ dangerous. Sakura, with all of her medical jutsu training under Tsunade, knew that. Since returning, Sasuke was known for his moments of unpredictable behavior. Granted, he hadn't had an episode in almost two years, but everyone knew that there was a remnant of the Cursed Seal that refused to be purged. In spite of all the efforts to remove it.

'_But that's the price you pay for letting it go to the second level. Part of him will always be dependent on it... even though Orochimaru is gone..._'

"Hey," Naruto's quiet voice interrupted Shikamaru's train of thoughts, "Sakura-chan..?"

Her green eyes regarded him with a pained expression.

"He didn't hurt you... did he...?"

Her cheeks reddened. "N-no..."

"You're sure?" He pressed. "You're not protecting him again... are you?"

"She said he _didn't._" Sympathetic-best-friend-mode engaged, Ino wrapped a comforting arm around Sakura, "This isn't some kind of inquisition."

"But—"

"It's none of your business anyway," she continued.

Naruto's lips formed a tight line.

"Sakura is a grown woman, Naruto," Ino gave her friend a comforting squeeze. "Don't treat her like she can't make her own decisions."

"I wasn't—"

"Then stop treating her like she did something wrong!"

"I'm not," Naruto said through clenched teeth. Ino's interruptions were clearly starting to rile him up again. And the developing lecture wasn't helping. Trying hard to keep his voice down, he grated, "People died because of that guy. _Friends_. He's hurt Sakura-chan before. He's dangerous. He always _will_ be."

Ino snorted. "He hasn't had any problems in a long time. I think you're just looking for a reason to get in a fight with him."

Out of the corner of his eye, Shikamaru caught sight of Kiba smirking. Leave it to the dog ninja to find the situation entertaining.

"I don't need a reason to fight Sasuke," the blond Jounin said, fingers digging into the table. "I'm worried about Sakura-chan. You should be, too."

Ino rolled her eyes. "The Godaime herself removed most of the seal and supervised his rehabilitation. The Council pardoned him."

"The only reason he wasn't executed for treason," Naruto said, voice low and dangerous, "is because the Council wanted to keep the Uchiha bloodline limit within Konoha."

"You don't know that," Ino quipped. "That's just rumor."

"He's dangerous." Returning his attention to his former teammate, Naruto repeated his earlier question. "Did he hurt you?"

With those words, Sakura's dejected appearance finally gave way to anger. Thumping her fist against the table, she hissed, "Damn it, Naruto! I already told you that he _didn't!_ Why can't you trust me to take care of myself?"

Naruto floundered, obviously thrown off guard and somewhat confused by her outburst. "Sakura-chan, I didn't mean it like that."

"Just let it go, Naruto," Shikamaru said, sotto voce.

Ignoring the free advice, the noisy ninja said the first dumb thing that popped into his brain.

"The Sharingan can hypnotize..."

Biting back a groan, Shikamaru once again found himself wondering how it was that the drama of Team 7 continued to thrive years after the 'team' had been dissolved. More than that, why did it seem like that drama always unfolded around him?

"He didn't hurt me and he didn't trick me," Sakura said, eyes narrowed as she glared. "Give me some damn _credit!_"

Naruto clenched and unclenched his jaw, then showed Sakura his profile. "Sorry."

"I gotta go," Sakura mumbled, pushing back her chair.

"Wait! Sakura—" Ino tried to grab her friend's sleeve, but the pink-haired kunoichi avoided her.

Throwing a few bills on the table, Sakura stepped away from the group and maneuvered her way through the crowding restaurant. The concern that filled Ino's eyes quickly morphed into anger as she scowled at the males seated across from her.

Rising from her chair, she leaned toward Naruto and Kiba. "I hope you're both satisfied," she whispered angrily. Straightening to her full height, she muttered one last insult before following after her friend.

The silence that remained in the wake of their departure was thick with tension. The dog ninja looked from Naruto to Shikamaru and back again, then sighed.

"Way to go, Naruto," Kiba said.

"Shut up," came the muttered reply.

"And here I thought I was the one with my foot in my mouth."

"I said, shut up," Naruto repeated. "Asshole."

Kiba chuckled. "I don't see what the big deal is. Sure, Sasuke is a complete bastard... but is it really all that surprising?"

Shikamaru felt a headache coming on. '_Shut up, Kiba..._'

"I think the _real_ surprise is that it took him so long to finally sleep with—"

In a flash of movement, Naruto's fist connected with the dog ninja's jaw. The force toppled the chair and sent its occupant sprawling. All activity within the restaurant stopped. People turned in their seats, eyes wide and curious. Some of the patrons were wise enough to get up and out of the way in case of a full-fledged brawl.

"HEY!" A voice called from the front of the restaurant. It went ignored.

"What the hell is your problem, Naruto?" Kiba wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Akamaru stood beside his master, dander up and barking angrily.

"You're my problem, bastard!"

"NA-RU-TO!" The voice called again, "Hey!"

Shikamaru groaned when he realized the restaurant owner was the one yelling at them. Naruto and Kiba both finally gave the disgruntled owner their attention.

"DAMN IT! What have I told you?" he demanded.

Naruto's mouth formed a tight line.

"No fighting in here," the owner continued. "Take it outside!"

The three young men paused.

"I said OUT!"

They looked at each other, but remained frozen in place.

"NOW!"

The final command seemed to unglue them from their positions. Shikamaru rubbed the back of his neck, Kiba put a calming hand on Akamaru's head and Naruto turned on his heel and marched out of the restaurant without a word. After the shock of the moment wore off, people finally began to turn their attention back to their meal.

"That goes for you two as well," the shop owner said. "Pay your bill and go."

"Yes, sir..." came the submissive, and automatic, reply.

Kiba got to his feet and dusted himself off.

"That was a stupid thing to say," Shikamaru said under his breath as he fished out his money.

"Are you going to hit me now, too?"

"No," he said. "Why would I get involved in something so troublesome?"

Kiba smirked. "He's probably looking for Sasuke now."

"Of course he is," Shikamaru scowled. "You know the Godaime doesn't want those two to fight. I'll probably get a lecture later thanks to your big mouth."

"Don't blame me for this," Kiba said.

Shikamaru didn't reply. Too busy tallying up the bill, he made it clear he was anxious to leave. Kiba, on the other hand, was happy to continue feeding life into a dead subject.

"She's been chasing after that freak since we were 10," the dog ninja pulled out his wallet. "Half the reason I thought Sasuke was gay was because he never took advantage of that. It's not like Sakura is ugly or anything. Who the hell wouldn't take advantage of—"

"Nara Shikamaru," a familiar voice said, cutting Kiba off in mid-sentence.

The two shinobi turned to see Kotetsu and Izumo standing only a few feet from their table. The sight of the two ninjas Tsunade frequently used to deliver messages and run errands stirred up a feeling of dread in the pit of the lazy Jounin's stomach.

"Hokage-sama wishes to speak to you, Shikamaru," Kotetsu said. "Immediately."

• • •

"I'm sending an ANBU messenger to the Kazekage today. I expect to hear back from him soon. He is a potential target as well as—"

Tsunade paused in mid sentence when she heard a gentle knock on the door. The knob turned, and a familiar, pineapple-shaped head peeked in.

"Shikamaru," the corners of her lips kinked upwards. "Just in time."

He stepped into the office, hands in his pockets and scowl growing deeper by the second.

"You wanted to see me?" he asked.

Tsunade motioned to a chair in the corner, "Bring it over and have a seat."

Moments later, he was seated beside Shizune and both Jounins were looking at her expectantly.

"I was just discussing a piece of intelligence I received this morning with Shizune," Tsunade said. "I'll get you up to speed on what's going on and then explain your mission objectives."

Shikamaru inclined his head and waited.

"There is reason to believe that one of our operatives has been killed," the Hokage began. "His home burned down. It seems the Ryuuka no Jutsu was used. Only _one_ of the scrolls were recovered."

"That's convenient," Shikamaru remarked.

The corner of Tsunade's lip quirked up. Barely two minutes into the meeting and already he was noticing the very thing that worried her the most.

"Are you sure it's not a ruse?"

"The sealing jutsu for the scroll was not tampered with," she said.

"Who was the informant?"

"Ryozo."

Shikamaru smirked. "You think the Akatsuki were involved somehow, right?"

"That's right."

Normally, confirmation like that would give someone a bit of a start. Not Shikamaru. Without missing a beat, he said, "Itachi was ANBU and has the Sharingan. There's a chance he saw the Sandaime perform the jutsu before he became a missing-nin."

'_I love the way this kid thinks_,' Tsunade thought, a satisfied smirk lifting her features. He was the perfect choice for this particular mission. He was the most gifted problem-solver in the village and one of her most reliable, and successful, leaders. If there was a subtle detail or link to be found, Shikamaru would be the one to find it. If something unexpected happened and his team was in danger, he would make it his priority to protect them.

When dealing with the Akatsuki, it was a requirement that a squad leader be both strategically intelligent and protective of their comrades. The last thing she wanted was for her people to walk in to a dangerous situation with a leader who didn't put the welfare of the team, and Konoha as a whole, as the highest priority.

Nara Shikamaru, in spite of his youth, was best suited for the role.

"You're getting ahead of yourself," the Hokage said. "I haven't told you what the scroll said."

He waited.

"Tsunade-sama," Shizune said, voice apologetic. "I don't mean to be rude, but..."

"Right," the Hokage said. "You can go ahead and go. We'll finish our conversation later."

Shizune smiled and rose from her seat. With a polite nod to both the Hokage and Jounin, she excused herself from the room.

"Now... where was I?"

"The scroll."

"The scroll," she repeated. "Ryozo had four scrolls and Kakashi was able to locate one. It was buried about a quarter of a mile away from the house where he was staying."

Tsunade stood and moved toward a small table in the corner of the room. Pouring herself a cup of tea, she continued, "There are two leads in the scroll that I would like investigated. According to Ryozo, the Akatsuki are laying dormant in the Earth Country. And, there's reason to believe that they have been receiving aid from the Wave country. If that's true, that would explain the Mizukage and the Tsuchikage's attitude over the past few years."

She paused to take a sip. "Would you like a cup?"

"No thanks."

She took another sip. "I'm sending one team to the Earth Country and another team to the Wind Country."

"Why the Wind Country?" he asked. "Why not the Wave Country?"

"Because," she rested her elbows on the desk. "Ryozo specifically mentions two people living in the Wind Country. Even goes so far as to describe one of them. Why would he do that?"

Shikamaru sighed. "Which one is Shizune's mission and which one is mine?"

"It's not Shizune's mission. It's Kakashi's."

"But isn't he still—"

"Kakashi returned early this morning," she said. "I ordered him to rest, so Shizune will have to gather the team for him. You will need to gather your team soon, too. You did a lot of traveling to the Wind Country when you were the Chuunin Examiner. You know the terrain pretty well. I'd like you and your team to leave tonight"

"Where in the Wind Country?" Shikamaru asked.

"Hitofuki Village."

The scowl that darkened his features made clear his thoughts.

"Do you know anything about Hitofuki?"

"I know it's a tourist town," he said. "But I've never been there."

She nodded. "It attracts tourists about this time every year for their summer 'romance' festival. Couples from several surrounding countries make the trip to partake in the traditions there because it's supposed to bring good luck. The majority of participants are newlyweds." She smiled. "The festival begins in four days."

"It'll be difficult to locate this couple Ryozo mentioned if the town is going to be in the middle of a celebration," Shikamaru said.

"Perhaps. But I suspect you'll be able to glean more information if you and a kunoichi pose as newlyweds."

Shikamaru blinked. "..._What?_"

"I want you and a female ninja to pose as newlyweds."

Stubbornness hardened his features. "My specialty isn't undercover intelligence gathering—"

"It is for this mission."

Shikamaru clenched his jaw.

"I have already chosen the members of your squad."

Eyes hard, lips forming a tight, thin line... he almost glared at her. Had she the luxury of time, she would have admonished him for being so easy to read. A good shinobi doesn't show emotion and Shikamaru certainly wasn't trying to hide his indignation. He was more annoyed than she'd ever seen him. She knew he wouldn't be enthusiastic about the idea of posing undercover, but she didn't expect him to get so upset over her decision to hand-pick his entire team. She knew he wouldn't like it, but his reaction was a bit stronger than she had anticipated. It made her curious, but she said nothing. Now was not the time to dilly dally. He needed to gather his team, prep them for the mission and prepare to leave by nightfall.

"Who?" He asked, tone curt.

"Hyuuga Hinata, Aburame Shino, Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke."

He worked his jaw in an annoyed fashion. "You want me to pose as a newlywed with Sakura, right? With Shino, Hinata and the Uchiha remaining behind as backup."

The Hokage nodded, "Correct."

Shikamaru rubbed his temple and sighed. Tsunade felt a protest gathering.

"I don't want Uchiha on my team. Naruto and I work better together. The same is true for Neji and Kiba. I can even name a couple rookie chuunins who would be a better choice than Uchiha."

Tsunade lifted a questioning brow and said, "Naruto and Neji are going to the Earth Country. Kiba is better suited to remain here. Unless you can give me a damn good reason why he shouldn't be apart of your team, Uchiha _is_ going with you."

Shikamaru glowered. She didn't like his expression, nor did she like the tone of his voice when he objected. Still, she was more curious than ever to hear what his reasons were for not wanting Sasuke on his team.

He paused, considering. Then, "I have reason to believe that Sakura and Uchiha will not work well together at this time. The tensions between them may compromise this mission."

'_Is that it? This is about his grudge?_' Patience suddenly thin, Tsunade glared. "I didn't realize that I needed to remind you that your _job_ as mission leader is to foster teamwork and make certain your subordinates work well together."

It wasn't often that one was able to get a Nara's face to redden. The clan was so laid back and even-tempered that they never seemed to feel embarrassment or anger. Today, Tsunade was given a rare treat. Shoulders stiff, eyes narrowed and jaw clenched... Shikamaru's face was flushed with anger.

"Don't get mad at me," she chided. "You're going to have to get over your grudge for the sake of this mission."

"I can _ignore_ my grudge," was the carefully measured response. "I don't want Uchiha on my squad because of his ties to the Akatsuki." He paused, frowned, then opened his mouth to continue before snapping it shut again.

"Go ahead and say what's on your mind," the Godaime said.

Shikamaru sighed, "This is troublesome."

Tsunade swallowed the last of her tea and found herself wishing she'd poured herself a cup of hot sake instead.

"Hokage-sama," the Jounin began. "I know it's no secret what a lot of us think of him. And I accept the Council's judgment regarding his missing-nin status, but... no offense to you—"

"Of course."

"—but I remain unconvinced of his rehabilitation. I understand that the cursed seal affected him psychologically and physiologically, but Uchiha has always been more interested in revenge than anything else. I don't think the welfare of Konoha as a whole has ever been as important to him as vengeance. If we're going up against the organization his brother belongs to then he will be a problem. I don't want a guy like that on my team. Especially on a mission like this. I don't trust him and I never will."

Lips pressed into a fine line, the Godaime peered at the shadow user. She was annoyed with him. Not because he was questioning her, but because he was right. And she _knew_ he was right. Had the situation been any different, she would not have assigned Sasuke to his team to begin with. But such an option wasn't available to her. Sasuke needed to go to the Wind Country just as much as Naruto needed to go to the Earth Country. Depending on how the Akatsuki reacted, _if_ they reacted, Tsunade would learn a little more about their current motivations and tactics.

"You speak as though I don't understand the situation," Tsunade said. "Don't you think that I've already considered these things?"

Shikamaru sighed and looked away. "I think you overestimate the success of the Uchiha's rehabilitation."

• • •

Blinds closed and shades drawn, his apartment was filled with darkness. Seated comfortably on the floor, Sasuke forced all thoughts from his mind. Or at least tried to. It was a difficult task when all he could do was berate himself for his lack of control. Eyes closed, he sucked in a deep breath, squared his shoulders, and tried not to think about the night before.

It was disturbing how easily things had gotten out of hand. For the last few days he'd been feeling a little off kilter. He didn't think much of it at the time. After all, he'd just finished an important mission and was pushing himself pretty hard with his training. He was tired, both physically and emotionally. So it didn't seem unusual to him that he felt drained.

Ignoring his weariness, he kept up his normal routine while adding a couple of extra hours of training into his day. It would be worth the stress and exhaustion, he reasoned, once he passed the ANBU exam. And Sakura had agreed.

'_Shit._'

Sasuke frowned in the darkness, his concentration instantly shattered when he thought of the pink-haired kunoichi. He hadn't meant to sleep with her. In fact, he barely remembered the sequence of events that led up to them having sex. Everything else was all a blur in his mind. Had he not woken up with a naked Sakura in his bed and seen the stained sheets after she left, he would have believed the whole event had been nothing more than a dream.

'_A very real, very erotic dream,_' he thought. Gritting his teeth, anger coiled in the pit of his belly. '_How the hell did I lose control of the remnant? I should have been able to control it... how could I let it affect me like that?_'

Sasuke ran a frustrated hand through his hair. He knew the seal reacted to his emotions and natural urges. It would either heighten those feelings, or warp them. Waking up with Sakura had been a blow to his psyche. Always proud of his abilities and will-power, he had allowed himself to believe that the remnant no longer influenced him.

He was wrong.

After Tsunade removed most of the Cursed Seal, the side-effects of letting it gestate, and the remnant left behind, forced him to relearn how to manipulate and mold his chakra. For months he struggled just trying to perform a Ryuuka no Jutsu. It was frustrating to know the techniques and be unable to make his body do as he wanted. And every time he tried to relearn control over his chakra, the remnant would shiver just under his skin and remind him of the power he had lost.

'_I still want that power,_' Sasuke thought as he gently massaged the darkening bruise-like mark on his neck. It quivered from his touch, silently encouraging his sentiment.

Sighing, Sasuke got to his feet. He was too preoccupied to meditate. Pulling open the blinds, sunlight flooded the room, temporarily blinding him. He stared for a moment, considering. Then turned away from the brightness. Knowing what he had to do, he reached for his coat, locked the door behind him and headed toward Hokage Tower.

• • •

"Tell me about this couple," Shikamaru said.

The Godaime opened a drawer. "Ryozo provided a description of the woman," she handed him a scroll with the Hokage symbol burned into a burgundy wax seal. "He used code when referring to her and so did I."

Shikamaru raised a brow.

"I want you to find out who this couple is, how they're connected to the Akatsuki and any additional leads or contacts you can dig up. It is possible that I'm sending you on a fool's errand. Regardless of what you find, I want you to contact the Kazekage when you finish your assignment in Hitofuki. He has just as much at stake as we do, and I trust him."

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

She handed him a small leather pouch, "The scroll I gave you should answer the rest of your questions. There is more than enough cash in here to cover your expenses as you and Sakura pose as tourists. The Kazekage will expect you to contact him. If you fail to communicate with him, he will assume the worst. And so will I."

He nodded.

"If you get a bad sense about anything, I want you to pull your team back and report in immediately. Understand?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

"Questions?"

Shikamaru shook his head, "No."

"Good. You're dismissed." As he pulled open the door to leave, Tsunade added, "And be careful out there."

"Yes, ma'am."

Hands shoved in his pockets, Shikamaru slouched down the stairway leading out of the tower. Going over the mission details in his mind, he was grudgingly impressed with the individuals Tsunade assigned to his team. In spite of his misgivings about Sasuke, the other team members were a very strategically sound choice.

A Byakugan user was almost always necessary on high-level intelligence gathering missions. Their super-heightened sense of sight gave them the ability to see nearly _everything._ Shikamaru was well aware of the frightening abilities of a Byakugan user from his work with Neji, but this would be the first time he ever worked with Hinata. A Chuunin, she was far less powerful than her older cousin, but still formidable in her own right.

Shino was also a good choice. He was an excellent tracker and his kikai were very useful spies. Aside from that, he was a surprisingly powerful shinobi and could probably make ANBU status within a year. Most people underestimated Shino's ability simply because he looked more strange than threatening, but that would be a mistake. Shino was by no means weak. Or foolish. He was a gifted and intelligent shinobi, which was a welcome addition to any mission.

Shikamaru had worked with Sakura before. He was well aware of her skills and abilities, but had never worked with her in the capacity that Tsunade expected. As much as Shikamaru didn't like the idea of posing undercover, he respected the Hokage's decision to pair him up with Sakura. She was smart, adaptive and highly skilled. Even better, she was one of the top medic-nins in the entire village. Bringing along such a skilled individual was never a bad decision.

'_Even if it means having to deal with this troublesome drama brewing between her and Uchiha..._' he thought, pushing open the door and exiting the tower. A head of jet-black hair caught his eye. '_Well, speak of the devil..._'

The nearly permanent frown that kept the corners of his lips turned downward considerably darkened when he caught sight of the fourth and final member of his team coming up the walkway toward the tower. Normally, neither man would acknowledge the other, but when Uchiha noticed the other Jounin watching him, he paused.

Eyes squinting in the sunlight, Shikamaru asked, "On your way to see the Hokage?"

"What does it matter to you?" came the impatient response.

The sun was high overhead on a bright, mid-July day. The air was hot and the humidity was steadily increasing. Even so, Sasuke wore a jacket. One with a high-neck that thoroughly covered the remains of his Cursed Seal. His choice in clothing, the way he carried himself and the defensive tone of his voice told Shikamaru one thing: the remnant was acting up. More than that, it was so bothersome to him that he needed to see Tsunade about it.

'_Even better,_' Shikamaru thought bitterly. '_More reason to want this guy on my team..._'

"It doesn't matter to me." The lazy Jounin shrugged. "I just got finished talking to her." Shikamaru looked away and stared down the road. He could feel the Uchiha glaring at him.

'_So troublesome, this guy..._'

"You've been assigned to my team," Shikamaru continued, finally looking at him again. "We're leaving tonight. Meet me at my place by five o'clock for a briefing. We head out after nightfall."


	3. bitter pill

**AN:** Thank you for the feedback, guys. Reviews are always very motivational and I really appreciate that so many of you have taken the time to write me a little something. Even something as simple as "I have enjoyed reading this" is a wonderful boost and great motivator.

So thank you. :)

Now, onto the nitty-gritty...

**I am well aware that the motives of the Akatsuki as described here are not correct for the manga.** I know, I know. YOU should realize that I wrote this before Sasuke's final battle against Itachi, before the revelation of Tobi/Madara, before we learned that Itachi has been loyal to the Leaf all along and before Pain's big attack on Konoha. I wrote this under the assumption that Akatsuki simply wanted to take over the world (which they do), but my explanation to how they want to go about doing it is quite different than cannon.

Just roll with it and pretend that Madara is still hiding behind the Tobi facade with Pain still titular leader of the Akatsuki. ;)

Also,

Let it be known that I am not a Sasuke fan. I used to be back in the early days, but now he frustrates me to no end in the manga (but I think that's the point). My beta, Thunk, is of the opinion that Sasuke will eventually redeem himself. She thinks that he will have this grand epiphany and revert back to the good kid he once was. I seriously doubt that (although if the resurrected Itachi manages to get a hold of him I suppose it's possible).

Regardless, she pushed the tone of "redemption" with me and I figured, hey, why not? But let's be honest here - this isn't a Sasuke/Sakura fic so emo-boy can't be redeemed THAT much. He is still going to have a chip on his shoulder, he is still going to think of himself first and he is still going to be overly preoccupied with his own suffering vs. the suffering of others. So if you're a big Sasuke fan, let it be known that I do think that he's a selfish asshole and I'm going to write him that way. However, my goal in this fic isn't to bash him. I don't HATE the kid - I just think he's a prick and my goal is to try to explain why he continues to be a jerk after supposedly being "saved." Also, I want to try to explain why someone like Sakura would care about him after all the things he put her (and her friends) through.

It is this aspect of the fic that bothers me the most in light of recent developments in the manga. Things would have been sooooo much easier if I had left Sasuke as a missing-nin, but then Sakura's feelings for Sasuke would remain unresolved and her eventual pairing to Shikamaru would have felt hallow.

So, like I said before - let's all pretend that Sasuke magically got dragged back to the village, Madara is still Tobi and the truth about Itachi remains unknown.

Okay? Okay!

And last but not least... I love you guys. ;)

* * *

**dawning**

**.:bitter pill:.**  
chapter three

* * *

'_I want you, Sakura. Always._'

His voice echoed inside of her, bouncing off her anxiety to form a hard, tight lump in her gut. It was pointless, she knew, to fixate on his words. But she couldn't help it. In the darkness, everything felt right. His words, his kisses, the caress of his hand up her thigh... it was scary and exciting and wonderful all at the same time, but now...

Now... everything felt wrong.

Sakura stared at the wall and tried to push her mind away from Sasuke. The more she thought about him, the more she worried that she made a mistake.

'_You should get dressed,_' Sasuke's voice from that morning echoed in her mind, demanding her attention. She stubbornly tried to push the memory away, but the image remained. Worse, it replayed the moment she hated most... the moment Sasuke handed back her clothes and told her to leave.

Chewing on her lip, Sakura felt like curling up into a ball and crying her eyes out. It wasn't fair. For as long as she could remember, she felt drawn to him. It wasn't until they became teammates that her crush had matured into love. When he left the village to join the Sound, she felt broken. And worse, she felt useless.

When Shikamaru's team had returned without him, Sakura was horrified to learn how close her friends came to dying. If help not shown up when it did, she was certain that there would have been casualties. When the village attempted to neutralize Sasuke a year later, some of her friends _did_ die.

And it was Sasuke's fault. He chose to go Orochimaru knowing he would become a criminal. A missing-nin. He abandoned the team... and her.

After Tsunade-shishou accepted her as pupil, Sakura was told what the true purpose was behind the Curse Seal. By letting it mature into the second stage, Sasuke had voluntarily begun the process of preparing his body for Orochimaru. With the failure to stop Sasuke from becoming a missing-nin, Konoha was forced to prepare for full scale war with the assumption that Orochimaru would return with the intent to destroy them - this time in a new host body with the Sharingan.

Tsunade had been sympathetic to Sakura's desire to rescue Sasuke, so after Sasori's defeat the Hokage allowed her pupil a chance to make her wish a reality. When that mission failed, Sakura quietly began to wonder if saving Sasuke was even possible.

She had little time to ponder the idea as the ambition of the Akatsuki loomed over them, threatening to not only murder her best friend, but destroy her home. As the organization of S-class criminals gained more power and influence, smaller ninja villages and countries began to side with the Akatsuki. They feared being on the wrong side when the war was finally over. Konoha, Suna and a few other villages stood their ground as the lines of war became increasingly obvious. With the shared goal of wiping out the Akatsuki, alliances were forged, battalions were created, each made up of several 5-man squads with specific roles to play.

Unfortunately, the Akatsuki had sympathizers and were made aware of many crucial battle plans and dozens of good shinobi died as a result. So many people were injured during the months of fighting that every medic-nin that Konoha could spare quickly found themselves overwhelmed. Sakura tried to find encouragement in those that she was able to save, but the ones that slipped away haunted her thoughts. Even years later.

When the battle was over, Sakura found comfort in the fact that Sasuke had been captured. Alive. And when the Council did not sentence the last Uchiha to death, Sakura began to believe that this was her chance. Unable to save so many of her comrades during the war, she now had a second chance to save Sasuke.

Tsunade-shishou had warned her. _"You can't save everyone, Sakura,"_ she had said. "_Some people don't want to be saved, and others are simply beyond help. __Don't spend your life trying to force Sasuke to be what he was before. That part of him is gone._"

But the young medic-nin remained steadfast. Sasuke could be saved. Naruto made good on his promise to bring him home. It was Sakura's turn now.

Tsunade-shishou poured months into the effort to extract the Cursed Seal and still part of it remained. Like a narcotic, the seal altered his personality and it was heartbreaking to watch. The horrible things that it did to his body — his addict-like dependence on it, the chakra manipulation, the psychological impact — Sakura spent hours every day devoted to helping him, comforting him, encouraging him...

She was certain that her kindness could overcome his anger and darkness. She just needed to be patient and forgiving.

Friends warned her that she was setting herself up for heartache. In the back of her mind, she was afraid that they were right. When she tried to shorten her time with Sasuke, he'd ask her to stay longer. When she'd become angry at him for what he said about Naruto and Sai, he would apologize and tell her that he didn't really mean it. And when he had one of his many frustrated rages because of his situation, Sakura would attempt to calm him only to have him lash out at her. On one occasion, his fit of anger resulted in her sustaining a broken wrist and two bruised ribs. He begged for forgiveness when he realized how much he had hurt her. Without a second thought, Sakura healed herself and told him it was okay, all was forgiven. When Naruto found out about it, his well of patience for Sasuke dried up.

Sasuke changed after that. He stopped telling her that she was annoying or threatening her when he got frustrated. And he certainly never touched her in a harmful way. Little by little, his old personality from their genin days would return and Sakura believed that her efforts were finally being rewarded. Naruto doubted it, as did many of her peers, but his improvement was enough to allow the Council to grant him more freedom as a shinobi and it wasn't long before he was given missions.

But, he would have bad days, too. Days when he over-worked himself or put himself under too much stress and his addiction would make him weak and vulnerable to the influence of the seal. Naruto claimed that on those days, Sasuke was acting like the person he really was. It was the other days, the "_good"_ days, that were untrue.

'_What did last night mean to him?' _she thought as she nervously twisted the hem of her shirt around her fingers. _'He said he'd been taking me for granted. He said that he cares for me, but then this morning...'_

The thought of confronting him about their relationship entered her mind and her heart constricted painfully in her chest. She didn't think she could take it if he rejected her, not after being so damn hopeful and certain that things had changed. It was stupid, she told herself, to act like a heartbroken schoolgirl. She was a full-grown woman, a kunoichi and highly-skilled medic.

'_I'm better than this_,' she told herself. '_I'm not a kid anymore..._'

But she still felt like that twelve-year-old girl who got knocked unconscious and left on a park bench when Sasuke left the village. Sometimes he made her feel so hallow, so empty. And he had broken her heart so many times before...

_'What if this was just a casual thing to him? What if it means nothing? What if he regrets it? Oh, God... how could I be so—'_

Three quick raps startled her out of her thoughts. She hesitated, staring at her front door with a mix of fear and hope. As much as she wanted to talk to Sasuke, she was also afraid to hear what he would say. With her courage gathered, she rubbed the tear stains from her cheeks and smoothed out the front of her shirt before approaching the door.

She hesitated, hand resting on the door knob. She didn't want to talk to Naruto. Or Ino. Or anyone, really. She just wanted to be alone with her misery. Bottom lip caught between her teeth, the thought of simply ignoring the summoning filtered through her mind.

"I know you're in there," a familiar voice said on the other side of the entry way. "I can see your shadow under the door."

_'Shikamaru..?'_

Feeling herself start to blush, quickly unlocked the door and pulled it open.

"Hey," he said, hands buried in his pockets. His slouching stature seemed almost apologetic when he caught sight of her puffy, red eyes.

"Hey."

Silence hung in the air as they both looked at each other blankly for a few seconds. Sakura expected an immediate explanation for his visit, a concrete reason for him, of all people, to knock on her door. Shikamaru never visited her. Hell, until that moment she doubted that he even knew where she lived.

Instead, Shikamaru just looked at her as though she should already know why he was there. Then he frowned and began to rub the back of his neck. The gesture was a sure sign that he felt was doing something 'troublesome.'

"What are you doing here?" Sakura finally asked, her tone more impatient than curious.

Her question elicited a tired sigh. "You haven't been by to see the Hokage today," he said.

"No, I haven't." Eyes narrowed, she immediately thought of the hospital. "Don't tell me you're her new errand boy now."

"No," he scoffed. "Not exactly. I'm here to let you know that the Hokage has assigned you to my squad for an A-class mission," he said. "I figured you would have stopped by her office today and already heard the details, but I wanted to double check to be sure." He handed her a slip of paper and said, "You have less than two hours to prepare. We leave tonight."

• • •

Her shyness didn't diminish when she entered adulthood. It still quivered in her belly and tightened her throat with every new situation. The only difference was she had finally gained the confidence to face her uncertainties, rather than letting them rule over her. But confidence is often a fragile thing, and for Hinata, it was especially prone to dents and scratches.

Standing outside Shikamaru's apartment building, she felt a familiar nauseating flutter of nerves curl in her tummy. It wasn't unusual for her to feel queasy before a mission. Typically, a dose of liquid bismuth would calm her stomach, but for this particular assignment, nothing seemed able to ease her nervousness.

'_Why couldn't he talk about the mission this afternoon?_' she wondered as wooden stairs groaned painfully underfoot. With each step, her anxiety grew. '_What's going on?_'

Shikamaru had been so vague when he spoke to her that Hinata didn't know what to expect. She knew next to nothing about the mission. Nor did she know who her teammates would be. More than that, his vocal tone suggested a sense of urgency that left her feeling anxious.

Reaching the third floor, she gazed down the hall and spotted the door to Shikamaru's apartment. Swallowing hard, she reassured herself that whatever the mission entailed, she was qualified to participate. Adjusting the straps on her backpack and taking a deep breath, she knocked. A moment later, the door swung open to reveal an imposing figure she never expected to see.

Towering over her, the shinobi looked at her with a face totally devoid of expression and framed with a mass of thick, unruly, black hair. Relief flooded her at the sight of him and she smiled.

"Sh-Shino," her voice cracked as anxious muscles finally began to relax. "Hello."

The corners of his lips twitched upward in return. For an Aburame, it was as close to a smile as she was going to get and it only made her feel all the more secure in his presence.

"Hinata."

"I didn't know you were part of the squad," she said.

"Mm," still holding the door open, he stepped aside to let her pass. "I also did not realize you would be part of the mission. Shikamaru still has not spoken to any of us."

Hinata breathed a faint, 'Aah' as she entered the apartment.

"Am I the last to arrive?"

"No," Shino said, leading her past the kitchen area and to the living room. "So far, it's just you, Sakura and myself. Shikamaru said that we are a five-man cell so we are still waiting for one more person."

The Byakugan user barely had time to wonder who the last member was when Sakura's smiling face greeted her.

"Hinata! How are you?"

"F-fine," her features lifted as she shrugged off the heavy backpack. Shino took it from her and added it to the pile in the corner.

"I haven't seen you in a while," Sakura continued, pink hair pulled back into a thick braid. "You look good."

Hinata rubbed her forearm absently. "So do you."

"I heard you've been working with some of the younger kids at the Academy," she said. "How is that going?"

"It's going really well," Hinata smiled. "I like it very much."

"Are you planning to go into teaching?"

Grinning widely, Hinata dipped her head to hide her blush. "I think I might. I just found out this morning that a teacher's assistant position is going to open up soon and Iruka-sensei told me that he recommended me for the job."

"That's great, Hinata!" Sakura grinned, "Congratulations."

"Thank you."

The pink-haired kunoichi nodded, but said nothing more.

"How have you been, Sakura?" Hinata asked.

Her lips pulled back into a smile, but the expression was strangely lackluster. Hinata wondered at it, noticing the fine tremor that was almost immediately smoothed away by a forced cheer.

"Fine," the medic-nin shrugged. "Just fine. Busy. I've had to work a lot of extra shifts at the hospital with Tsunade-shishou lately. They're still pretty badly understaffed and we're trying to train more residents." The corner of her lips turned upwards into a half-smile. "Other than that, I'm good. Nothing much to report."

"... Oh."

Silence. Then Sakura let out a subtle, dejected sigh.

'_She seems defensive,_' Hinata thought. Observing the pink-haired kunoichi more closely, additional signs of gloom revealed themselves. The way Sakura stood, her posture, the way she hugged herself with her arms, the droop of her lips, the pace of her breathing... Everything about the medic-ninja felt pained.

'_She's depressed. I wonder why?_'

"All right, I'm done," Shikamaru announced, walking out of a room adjacent to the living room. Dropping his pack in the corner, he joined the waiting group.

"It's almost five," Shino said. "Who are we still waiting for?"

Shikamaru scowled. "Sasuke."

Sakura's peculiar body language suddenly made sense. Without utilizing her Byakugan, Hinata could perceive chakra. Like static electricity that tingled along her flesh, she could sense it. Her meager abilities were laughable compared to Neji's innate talent. But with his help, she had begun learning how to 'see' like he sees.

Neji doubted she would ever really be able to detect chakra with her unaltered eye. The best she could hope for was a heightened, physical awareness. But for one brief moment, when Shikamaru said Sasuke's name, she _could_ see. It was a blink of emotion. A mélange of feeling that appeared like distant lightning. When her eyes could no longer detect the chakra, her skin could. Rubbing her arms, she felt goose bumps and the tickle of an insect. Unconsciously, she brushed it away and glanced at Shino. He, too, seemed cognizant of the sudden, fierce shift in Sakura's emotions and chakra flow.

'_His kikai can probably smell it._'

"If he doesn't get here soon," Shikamaru continued, "he's going to make us leave late. That could be troublesome."

"Sasuke..?" Sakura said.

Shikamaru clenched his jaw and nodded.

"When did you see him?" Sakura asked, voice steady.

His scowl returned. "Right after I spoke with the Godaime after lunch today. He was on his way to see her."

She tensed, expression tight.

"I guess I could start part of the briefing now," the squad leader muttered.

"Wait," Shino said, a pair of kikai hovered near his face. "He's here. He just entered the building now."

Arms hugging herself almost protectively, the medic-ninja stood tall and waited.

• • •

"Kazekage-sama?" a male voice asked.

The leader of the Hidden Village of Sand paused in his writing. His green eyes turned to regard the one addressing him.

"I'm sorry to disturb you," the Sand shinobi continued. "But there is a messenger from Konoha here. She insists on seeing you now."

Gaara lowered his pen. "Send her in."

Moments later a Konoha ANBU in full uniform stood before him. She bowed. From the waist, deep and respectful. Dark purple hair fell forward, but the mask remained in place. Gaara's eyes were automatically drawn to the tattoo on her arm that identified her allegiance and position within Konoha, and the dimpled battle wound that twisted a corner of it.

"Kazekage-sama," she said upon righting herself. "The Hokage sent me to deliver a message to you. She asks for your immediate response."

Reaching within her breastplate, she produced a small, metal cylinder and placed it on Gaara's desk. Then she turned her back and waited.

Intrigued that the Hokage would send an ANBU to deliver him a message, Gaara dismissed his attending shinobi with a measured look and a slight incline of his head. The message was obviously very important and confidential. Otherwise the Godaime wouldn't go to such trouble.

Twisting the cap off and giving the cylinder a solid shake, the tightly rolled parchment within fell into his waiting palm. It bore the official Hokage seal, complete with a smear of dried blood across the edge.

Frowning, he ran his fingertips over the wax seal and blood. This was a first. Tsunade never sent him a message so thoroughly safeguarded against prying eyes. Normally, if she had something important to tell him, she used a carrier bird. The elite ANBU messenger and blood seal did not bode well. This was a message that the Hokage did not want to fall into the wrong hands.

Completing the necessary seals, Gaara unlocked the scroll and it quickly unraveled in his hands. Spreading it out across his desk, he noted the harsh-rushed feeling of Tsunade's handwriting. Her words almost seemed to glare at him.

'_Our suspicions may soon be proven. The Akatsuki are moving._'

He clenched his jaw. The Akatsuki. The name of the organization alone was enough to spoil his mood. Learning that they were active again caused anger to twist inside him. The last time the Akatsuki decided to move they sent one of their own to capture him.

'_We have intelligence that suggests that they are currently in the Earth Country. Our information also states that they have been recently active in the Wind Country as of a few months ago._'

Granules of sand circulated around him, weaving furious patterns in the air.

They were in the Wind Country. Under his very _nose_. If this was true, it meant that they were very likely receiving help from the government. The current Feudal Lord of the Wind Country was trying to backstab the Shinobi of the Sand once again. Such action could easily lead to internal conflict.

'_I have sent teams to investigate. Expect Nara Shikamaru to contact you within two weeks with additional information._'

Jaw set and mouth forming a tight line, he lifted his eyes to peer at the messenger.

"ANBU."

She turned to face him and waited.

"Tell the Hokage, '_I understand,_'" he said, voice grave. "Tell her I will look into the matter. Personally."

• • •

Two days into their journey and they were only a few kilometers from the border of the Wind Country. With another day and a half of hard travel ahead of them, Shikamaru wanted to give his team a good rest before beginning the next phase of their mission. After renting two rooms for the night and getting cleaned up, the squad gathered at a small restaurant for a hot meal. The conversation was somber, if not reserved.

Normally a lack of chatter didn't bother Shikamaru, but the reserved nature of the group didn't sit well with him. After all, this was a team consisting of people who were well acquainted with each other since childhood. A certain level of camaraderie was expected, but barely expressed once the entire squad was brought together.

It didn't take a genius to see that the tension between Sakura and Sasuke was at the core. For as much as he hated the troublesome strain, he could ignore it. The thing he could not ignore was Sakura's state of mind. She was distracted. With their target a little over a day away, Shikamaru didn't want to walk into Hitofuki with a partner who couldn't keep her mind on the mission.

As the group parted ways for the night, Shikamaru caught Sakura's arm.

"I need to talk to you," he said, then released her.

Sakura furled her brows. "Okay..."

Hands shoved in his pockets, he led her past the small inn and down a path toward a grove of trees that lined a wide brook. Water bubbled cheerfully at them as they stood near.

Shikamaru pressed his lips together into a fine line, considering the least troublesome way to tell her what needed to be said. He didn't want to get involved, but he didn't want to deal with the unpredictable nature of an emotional woman. He just wanted her to stop being flaky so much.

"What's going on?" she asked.

He sighed. May as well tell her straight out.

"You're distracted."

"Pardon me?"

"I said, you're distracted," he repeated.

Her expression soured. She narrowed her eyes at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Shikamaru detected a defensive quality in her voice and sighed. This is what he hated about being a leader. The situation between her and Sasuke was really none of his concern. In fact, he could really care less who Sakura or Sasuke dated. Grated, he didn't like Sasuke. Nor could he understand why so many girls seemed attracted to a guy who was so obviously troubled and obsessive... but that was the way it was. He could accept it. But when it began to effect his team, and possibly the mission as a whole, he had to do something about it.

Or at least try to.

"You've been distracted since Uchiha showed up," he said. Shifting his weight, Shikamaru leveled his gaze on her. "We're only days away from going undercover—"

"I'm not—"

"You _are,_" he insisted, carefully keeping his voice low.

Expression darkening, she said, "You have a lot of nerve, pulling me aside to lecture me. You're the genius who picked this team, now live with it!"

The Jounin pressed his lips together. She was being insubordinate, but he could ignore it in light of the clue her reaction provided him. Shikamaru hadn't considered the possibility that he was part of the problem, too. It was easy to blame the tension within the group on the drama between Sakura and Sasuke, but it never occurred to him that she would also have a grudge against him.

It made sense. After all, he was there the morning Kiba outed her in front of everyone. He knew then that she was hurt.

'_Which is why I never would have picked a team with them together in the first place..._'

Rubbing the back of his head, he muttered, "This is troublesome," under his breath.

"Everything is troublesome to you," she said. "But you brought it on yourself this time."

He scowled at her. "I didn't choose the teams. Tsunade-sama did."

"You didn't..." she became nonplused. "Come again?"

Shikamaru hesitated. He had decided days ago not to tell the team that they had recent information about the Akatsuki being active again. They knew they were investigating a lead about the organization, but they were told that they were looking into old information. They didn't know about Kakashi's team in the Earth Country. Nor were they aware that if Shikamaru was able to confirm that the Akatsuki had solid ties to their targets in the Wind Country that they were to report to the Kazekage himself.

He wasn't particularly fond of withholding information from his team, but Shikamaru didn't feel comfortable disclosing what he knew to Sasuke. Especially when he was certain that the Cursed Seal was acting up again. If the Sharingan user knew everything, there was no doubt in Shikamaru's mind that he would set off to find his brother.

"Sakura," he said, voice low. "I'm sorry. I'll explain everything to you later, but I didn't pick this team. I was fine with the make-up of the squad, but I protested Uchiha's participation. Tsunade-sama insisted and there wasn't much I could do."

Her expression turned puzzled. "Shishou never picks the members of a squad. Unless she thinks..." Sakura paused and searched Shikamaru's face with her eyes. "What aren't you telling us?"

Shikamaru scowled and looked away. "It's too troublesome. I can't... not right now."

Arms folded over her chest, Sakura peered at him dubiously.

"Look," he said, getting back to the reason he pulled her aside to begin with. "I know this situation between you and Uchiha isn't any of my business, but you've been distracted for days. Normally I wouldn't care about stuff like this, but it's effecting the whole team. It might be troublesome, but you guys have to start communicating. We have to have a high-level of cooperation to make this mission a success. You can't be distracted. Especially when the two of us have to go undercover and pretend we're..."

Shikamaru trailed off when he saw Sakura's lips begin to tremble. Fighting back tears, she turned away from him. Then the sniffling began.

Bewildered, Shikamaru wondered what he should do as Sakura began to weep more openly. Searching through his pockets, he produced a wrinkled handkerchief and held it out to her. She took it with a mumbled thanks, then pressed it against her face and cried into her hands.

It was a miserable sight. The Sakura he knew growing up had had her ups and downs, but was pretty consistently confident and happy. At least outwardly. The two of them had always had a friendly relationship, but they weren't 'friends.' Seeing her break down in front of him was painful to watch.

"D-do you... want to talk about it...?" he asked, terrified that she would take him up on the offer. It was no secret that he thought women were difficult to figure out, but crying women left him feeling totally inept.

"What am I supposed to do?" her voice squeaked.

He opened his mouth soundlessly as Sakura sucked in a deep, shaky breath.

"He doesn't even _look_ at me," she continued. "He avoids me. How am I...?" Her voice trailed off, then sucking in a deep breath she said, "I'm sorry. I feel like such an idiot."

Shikamaru frowned. "You're not. Guys are—"

Her tight, self-mocking laugh interrupted him. "I am!" she insisted as she turned toward him, her eyes wet and cheeks shining in the moonlight. "He told me he'd been taking me for granted. He told me that he cared." She paused, unable to maintain eye-contact.

Shikamaru shifted from one foot to the other wondering what to say or do. Then she whispered, "I really thought that things would change. That he really... why is he...?"

His frown darkened when her tears began anew. As squad leader, he couldn't take sides. He couldn't become personally involved in such a deeply personal situation... but he couldn't abstain from saying something about the situation. Like most girls their age, she was naive when it came to guys and their motives. She wanted to believe that every guy was as trustworthy as someone like Naruto. That when they said something, they meant it. To tell her something general like '_a guy is only interested in sex_' was to put it too simply in a situation like this and it wasn't universally true... but it didn't mean that she shouldn't at least suspect it.

With a sigh, he decided to tell her a reality that many girls didn't seem willing to grasp and hope that she would finally begin to see the situation for what it was.

"Sakura."

She sniffled and rubbed her chin. Then her eyes met his.

"Sometimes guys lie to get what they want. They will say things that they think the girl wants to hear," he paused and rubbed the back of his head. "And some guys find it especially easy to lie to girls who _want_ to believe them."

Her jaw clenched tightly, stubbornly, but she said nothing.

"Think about it, Sakura."


	4. let go

**dawning**

**.:let go:.**  
chapter four

* * *

He worked quickly and efficiently in the soft glow of the morning sun. Only the soft rustling of leaves overhead and birdsong could be heard at such an early hour. If he strained, he could just barely detect the whispers of his fellow squad-mates as they waited for him to finish securing the perimeter of their camp. Until that moment, everyone was required to be as silent as possible.

It was almost noon before Sasuke finished his work, but he was more than confident that their tiny camp was safe. He had set several traps, triggers and chakra-sensing tags in many key points around their encampment. If anyone came near, even a civilian, they would know it instantly.

Even though it was standard procedure for a squad leader on a sensitive mission to verify perimeter security, it still irked Sasuke when Shikamaru inspected his work. There was no doubt that Nara was highly intelligent, but he simply wasn't on-par with Sasuke when it came to skill. Why such a mission was entrusted to him, of all people, bothered Sasuke. Far more than he cared to admit.

He rationalized that the annoyance he felt was due to the stress and misjudgments from the last two weeks. Shikamaru had to inspect his work so he could pronounce the site 'Secure' and they could begin Phase 2. Still, deep down inside Sasuke knew he was better than the shadow-user and Nara should be the one reporting to _him_.

"Okay," Shikamaru said upon his return to camp. "We're set. Let's finish the prep for the next phase..."

Sasuke tuned the shadow user out soon after his official confirmation of what he already knew to be true. _Of course_ they were secure. Jaw tight, Sasuke sat on a fallen log surrounded by low-hanging branches thick with leaves. From his perch he could watch the goings-on within the camp without being in plain sight yet still be available should he be needed.

He didn't want to be needed. He wanted to be left alone.

With a deep exhale, he cleared his mind and began the breathing exercises Tsunade taught him. The remnant was still bothering him. With the heavy travel over the last few days, Sasuke never had much opportunity to re-focus himself. While he would have preferred being totally isolated, he knew it would be unwise to not use his spare time to meditate. Legs crossed, back straight and eyes closed, Sasuke began. He breathed deeply as he envisioned the tension in his muscles flowing out of him. It was a maddeningly slow process, but that was the point. It was an exercise meant to help him resist drawing power from the remains of Orochimaru's chakra still sealed within the remnant of the cursed seal as it taught him patience.

Another deep breath and the stiffness in his joints began to ease. Tight muscles filled with stress loosened. His heart rate began to slow. Then the phantom tingling began. It was a delicate irritation that skittered around the edges of his cursed seal. He knew the sensation was only in his mind, but if he thought about it too much, it would become real. His body was hardwired to stimulate the seal on a subconscious level. Actively thinking about it would only make it worse.

Snips of conversation floated past him. Two female voices, one he knew too well. Knowing she was near brought the tightness back to his muscles and he felt the first tugs of frustration.

'_Don't think... just relax... focus..._'

He heard laughter. _Her_ laughter. She was several feet away, but still too near. Much too near. Her presence felt invasive... irritating.

'_Focus!_' Sasuke chided himself. He breathed deeply, oxygen filling his lungs and enriching his blood. The simple exercise triggered overly tense muscles to loosen. The strain in his shoulders had just begun to ease when he felt another tingle, a fluttering, just under the skin near the nape of his neck. This was real. The remnant was moving.

'_Ignore it. Patience... Focus!_'

The sound of a twig snapping grated against his ears. He opened his eyes into thin slits and saw Hinata and Sakura working near the center of camp. She wasn't facing him, but Sasuke could read the medic well enough to know she was just as aware of him as he was of her.

Frowning, Sasuke studied her. Since Shikamaru pulled her aside the other day, Sakura had taken up watching him with a new expression. What that expression meant exactly, he didn't know, but it was clear that whatever thoughts were filling her mind were also beginning to pressure her into talking to him. He could only hope that the opportunity for such a confrontation would wait until after the next phase of the mission was over. Knowing Sakura, that was unlikely to happen.

Still within the shadows, he watched the two women talk. Sakura said something and Hinata smiled widely. The thick, pink braid that hung down her back quivered as she laughed. Sasuke's eyes lingered on her hair before settling on the ever-present leather belt cinched around her waist, and the medpack she always kept close at hand.

The two young women spoke for a moment longer, then Hinata walked away. Now alone, Sakura's awareness of him became more pronounced. Arms wrapped around her middle and shoulders bunched, she glanced backward. Toward him.

Sasuke clenched his jaw. '_Go away, Sakura._'

To his chagrin, her whole body began to turn toward him. His ill temper made the remnant pulse and darken.

'_Just leave me alone for once._'

A cool breeze pushed past him, stirring the leaves overhead. He closed his eyes and dipped his chin lower. She was coming toward him.

'_Shit._'

"Sasuke-kun... I'm sorry." She hesitated, fidgeted. "I know you're busy, but we're leaving this afternoon..." Sakura paused again and looked down at her hands, "Do you think we can talk? Just for a little while... Please?"

• • •

"I have done as you asked," Shino said, voice carefully pitched for only is squad leader to hear. Shikamaru paused in his careful work of sharpening the fine edge of one of his kunai just long enough to glance at the Aburame in silent acknowledgment. "Even if he notices the insect," the insect-user continued, "Uchiha will not recognize it as a tracker."

A sense of relief brought a small smile to his lips. With Sasuke being monitored by a trusted comrade Shikamaru felt much more comfortable about leaving the group behind. "Thanks, Shino. It probably won't be needed, but I feel better knowing it's there."

Inclining his head in acknowledgment, Shino suggested, "I can put one on you and Sakura as well. In fact, for a mission like this, it may be wise to put one on all members."

"Good idea," Shikamaru said as he finished securing his weapons in his pack. Standing to his full height, he lifted his arms over head and leaned backward, stretching his muscles as he yawned. He barely noticed Shino's sudden stillness as he sent a silent command to his insects that specialize in tracking to attach themselves to every member of the squad. As Shikamaru made a mental note of what final preparations needed to be done, he heard Shino murmur beside him.

"It's done."

He would have thanked his friend had he not caught sight of a determined looking Sakura carefully approaching an angry looking Sasuke. Realizing that she mean to confront him very nearly made him groan. He prayed to anything that might be listening that she was just going to talk to him for something specifically related to the mission and not try to talk to him about anything personal. Now was not the time for any last minute drama.

"They are both rather tense," Shino said as he watched the pair. "Him more than her."

"Mm."

"Do you expect us to meet members of the Akatsuki?" the bug user asked. "Is that why you wanted to put a tracker on him?"

"I do my best to expect the unexpected," he said as he continued to observe the pair. "Or at least try to prepare for the worst."

Sakura said something to Sasuke and she sat down on the log beside him. They were close enough to have a private conversation, but there was enough distance between them to maintain plenty of personal space. Sakura began speaking again as Sasuke stared at some distant point, his expression carefully blank. Though Shikamaru could not hear her, he could see her lips move as she fidgeted. Clearly nervous, she pushed through with whatever it was she felt she needed to say. All the while, the Sharingan user seemed very detached and obstinate. When she finished speaking, she turned her full attention toward the Uchiha and waited. When he finally replied, his words caused her shoulders to slump.

Jaw tight, Shikamaru continued, "However, the one thing I do expect is for Uchiha to follow orders under supervision."

"And you are leaving camp," Shino supplied. Shikamaru knew then that the bug user understood the situation far more than he let on, "I see."

• • •

'_Oh, no... no, no, no..._' Throat painfully tight, Sakura willed herself not to cry. The flurry of emotions within her reminded her of the last time she confessed her love to him. The night he left the village to join Orochimaru and the Sound. But instead of being afraid that she would never see him again, she feared the truth she had long denied.

Swallowing hard and willing her voice not to crack, she repeated his words back to him. "You think being with me was a _mistake?_"

He sighed.

"But y-you kissed me first," she said. "You approached _me._ You told me you've been taking me for granted... that you—"

"I don't remember."

She stared at Sasuke, liquid eyes wide and bloodshot.

"The remnant," he said. The shinobi opened his mouth to continue, but decided against it. Jaw clenched and expression unreadable, he looked away.

With those words, Sakura's world seemed to stop. Cold dread filled her heart as she thought back to the night they slept together. He had been acting different. More open. More accepting of her attention and nearness. More _greedy_. And instead of thinking his behavior strange, she happily embraced it and let her life-long infatuation dictate her actions.

'_How could I be so stupid?_' Sakura thought bitterly, staring at her hands. All the years of dreaming, waiting, praying and hoping suddenly felt hallow. Crashing down around her wasn't just the painful reality of what really happened that night, but the choking realization that she was wrong. And had been wrong. For years.

Lifting her chin she sucked in a deep, shaky breath and asked, "You don't remember it... at all?"

"No," he admitted. "I remember the important parts. But me approaching you and telling you that I've been 'taking you for granted.' That I don't remember. At least not very clearly."

_'The important parts?'_

Heart pounding hard in her chest, her anxiety quickly turned to nausea as she realized what he meant. '_He means the sex. It was _just sex_ to him..._'

"You're... you're kidding," she said, voice sick with disbelief and self-loathing. The urge to cry filled her heart but she stubbornly fought against it. She would not let him see her tears.

"The hokage believes that my intensive training over the last few weeks has caused my chakra to drop unusually low, which allows the remnant to feel more..." he frowned as he considered his next words. "More... _influential_. That is probably why most of that evening is a bit blurry."

"Blurry?" she murmured. Crushed, she couldn't bring herself to look at him. Her green eyes traced patterns in the soil at her feet as Shikamaru's words floated to the forefront of her mind. "Then it really was just a lie. You only told me what I wanted to hear..."

"Pft," Sasuke snorted, peering at her with a dark expression. "You only hear what you want to hear. It's an annoying trait you've always had."

Embarrassment and anger joined the cacophony of emotions swirling together in her gut. She didn't know what was worse: the realization that Sasuke led her on, or the sense that she _let_ him lead her on. Either way, at that very moment, she felt like a fool. And the more she absorbed the truth of the situation, the angrier she became.

At herself.

At _him_.

• • •

"Perhaps this conversation will finally clear the air between them," Shino remarked.

Both men watched the pair for several moments. Sakura's fingers kept digging and pulling at her knees. The more they spoke, the less she looked in Sasuke's direction.

Shikamaru frowned, "Perhaps."

"You have doubts?"

Hands on his hips, the lazy Jounin arched his back and stretched. Pockets of blue sky filtered through the leafy canopy above, obscuring his view of the clouds.

"I think if they can clear the air between them it will be good for everyone. I'm just not every optimistic about it happening any time soon." He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, "Sakura's problem is she lets Sasuke dictate her happiness. And he knows it."

Silence returned as they watched the pair. After several moments, Shino sighed.

"It seems they will argue soon."

Shikamaru raised a curious brow.

"My kikai can smell epinephrine in perspiration," he explained. "She is becoming agitated."

The lazy Jounin scowled. "She's probably going to start sobbing again," he muttered, thinking of the night she bawled in front of him. Almost on cue, Sakura's expression turned heartsick. Her words were lost to the wind, but the tone of the exchange was easily felt. Closest to the couple stood Hinata, who watched the event with wide, worried eyes.

When Sakura finished speaking there was only heavy stillness, then Sasuke's eyes narrowed dangerously. There was coldness in his visage as he spoke and Sakura recoiled, visibly hurt by his verbal barbs.

Shikamaru's scowl deepened, creating a crease between his brows. Not wanting to witness the confrontation any longer, he crouched next to his pack and triple checked his weapons and supplies. It was an unnecessary exercise, but it was the easier than watching Sakura put herself into a position that would only cause her pain.

'_Why does she let him treat her like that?_ _Are all women as insane as her or is Sakura just especially stupid?_'

Temptation was too hard to resist and he glanced at the couple again. He expected to see Sakura crying as Sasuke looked on, instead she was walking away from him. Chin high, eyes forward and damp cheeks drying, the medic-nin didn't look back. Wiping away the last of her tears, her expression hardened as she rejoined Hinata to begin working again.

The display of resilience impressed him. And in a way, he was proud of her.

Turning his gaze toward Sasuke, it amused him to see the Sharingan user glaring at the back of Sakura's head. Instead of walking away in tears, she kept her dignity and reflected her professionalism as a shinobi. And that seemed to annoy Sasuke more than anything she had previously said to him.

The corners of Shikamaru's mouth to pulled back into a smirk. If what he just saw was an act on her part, it was a damn good one. And he was silently thankful for it.

• • •

LATE AFTERNOON 

'_How women can wear those things and still manage to walk I'll never know..._' Shikamaru thought, examining Sakura out of the corner of his eyes. He'd never seen her in heels before, let alone wear something other than her typical ninja attire.

Her outfit wasn't really all that different from the clothing Tsunade often wore. Though much less revealing. She wore a short-sleeved, tunic-length, ivory-colored shirt that was belted around the waist. Cropped, dark khaki pants that fell mid-calf finished the outfit. It was very plain and neutral-looking attire, if not somewhat unconventional. Most civilian women seemed to wear kimonos or clothing with more colors and patterns. Sakura chose not to. Even so, she still looked the part of 'commoner' and that would make blending into the crowd even easier. Plus, her choice in clothing offered plenty of ease of motion should she be required to drop her cover and fight - though Shikamaru couldn't imagine a woman being able to run in heels. Let alone _fight._ He knew it was possible, but still...

'_Maybe they're trained how to do that. Like with the whole flower arranging classes girls are required to take back at the Academy..._'

"What?" Sakura asked, disrupting his thoughts. She glanced down at herself. "What's wrong? Do I have something on me?"

Shikamaru frowned. "No."

"Then what's wrong? You keep looking at me like you're trying to figure something out," she said. "It's making me paranoid."

He shrugged, but said nothing. She gave him a queer look and the silence continued, only the sound of gravel crunching under foot as they walked could be heard. Were it not for the near constant breeze coming in off the nearby river, the heat of the late afternoon sun would have been unbearable. Swallowing two mouthfuls of water from his canteen, Shikamaru gazed at the cirrocumulus clouds that divided the blue of the sky. Their carefree nature as they floated through the upper atmosphere made him envious.

Wiping the sweat from his brow, he sighed. Except for the heat, it was a perfect day to stretch out on a grassy knoll and watch the clouds. Hands in his pockets, Shikamaru's fingers brushed against a circle of metal, reminding him of the last few details they needed to address.

"Do you have a ring?" he asked abruptly.

"Huh? Ring..?" Pausing in mid step, Sakura's face went pale as she realized the significance of the question. "Oh, no. Hell, no! Tell me you're kidding."

Shikamaru eyed the clouds as they stretched out over the horizon. "I guess you don't."

"What do you... you never said—" Snapping her mouth shut to control her fluster, she quickly gathered her thoughts. "What _ring?_ You didn't even tell us what this mission would be until just before we left Konoha..!"

"That's true."

His casual demeanor left her nonplussed. Sighing, she said, "Well, I guess we'll just have to purchase them in town—"

"Can't do that," he said. "Who in their right mind would believe we were married if we bought our wedding rings on our honeymoon? We may as well put on our forehead protectors while we're at it."

Expression darkening, Sakura grated, "What do you suggest then? Having a ring is a pretty damn important detail."

"I brought a pair," he said. Then produced a simple gold band from his pocket. He slipped the ring on his finger as Sakura sighed impatiently.

"If you had a pair," she frowned. "Why did you ask if I had one?"

Removing his backpack, Shikamaru crouched in the middle of the road. "Because," he said, "I wanted to avoid giving you the ring I brought for you to use."

Sakura's curious expression turned to surprise when Shikamaru held out a small, wooden box for her to take.

"Here."

The box appeared seamless. Save for the tale-tale Nara clan symbol on one side, Sakura wouldn't be able to tell which end was the top. She felt the sides and couldn't detect a blemish that would indicate a lid. Pressing the clan symbol with her thumb, she pushed.

"Other way," he said.

The lid slid forward and her breath caught. Snuggled within the box and protected by silk cloth was a solitaire diamond engagement ring.

"It's not real... is it?" she asked, staring at the jewelry.

"It's real," Shikamaru said. "I didn't have time to find an authentic-looking fake wedding ring."

Her eyes met his. "Tsunade-shishou let you borrow this for the mission?"

"No."

Sakura gaped. "Where did you get a diamond ring from?"

"It's an heirloom," he explained. "It went to my grandfather after my great-grandmother died. Then it went to my late uncle..." He shrugged, "You get the idea. It's mine now."

Frowning, Sakura closed the lid and tried to hand the box back to Shikamaru.

"What are you doing?" he asked, refusing. "Put it on. We're only a couple of miles from town."

"I'm not wearing your family heirloom on a mission like this. What if I lose it?" She pushed it in his hands, "We'll just have to find something in town... or make something up."

"No," he took the box from her and opened it. "We have to make this believable. Women always look at other women's wedding rings. A fake would be noticed and it would be dangerous if our cover is blown."

He held the ring out to her and she shook her head.

"Let's just make up a story—"

"No." Scowling, he grabbed her hand and pressed the ring into her palm. "Just put it on already."

Sakura stared at the oval-cut diamond as Shikamaru closed up his backpack and pulled it on again.

"Put it on before you lose it," he said. "My mother will kill me if that thing gets lost."

She gave a weak, humorless laugh.

"You know," she said with a jittery smile. "Saying stuff like that only makes me more nervous."

He shrugged, adjusted the straps over his shoulders and walked away. Still hesitating, Sakura stared at the ring sitting in the palm of her hand and didn't budge.

'_I can't take this,_' she thought, chewing her lip. '_We should just make something up..._' Unfortunately, very few ideas came to mind as she studied the ring. And of the ideas she did think up, all of them would be refused by the Shadow-user.

"Hurry up," Shikamaru said over his shoulder. "We're running out of daylight."

Lips pressed together to form a tight line, Sakura slipped the ring on her finger. To her horror, it felt lose. She curled her hand into a fist and rushed to catch up to her pseudo-husband.

"You wanted to know what I wasn't telling you guys," Shikamaru said. "I'll tell you what I know, but it's important that you keep it to yourself. I'm not comfortable with Uchiha knowing."

She nodded and apprehension formed a tight knot in her belly. The knot only grew more uncomfortable and heavy as Shikamaru spoke. Being Tsunade's pupil gave her an insight into politics that she sometimes wished she didn't possess. It was bad enough that the Akatsuki were active again. With their narcissistic aspirations to gain power by whatever means necessary and to use that power to conquer or destroy every ninja village, most people saw the organization for what it was. A threat.

But Sakura's unease didn't stem from that knowledge. The real problem was the theory that the Akatsuki have been hiding within the borders of 'friendly' nations for _years._ Including the Wind Country. If that turned out to be true, it meant that Konoha was more alone than anyone imagined. And, it meant that their ally, the Shinobi of the Sand, was edging closer toward civil war with their own Feudal Lord. If the Wind Country became embroiled in civil war, it would create an opportunity for the Akatsuki to strike while Konoha was without her strongest ally.

So absorbed in her thoughts, Sakura jumped when Shikamaru grasped her hand.

"Che," he scowled. "Relax, _honey._"

The gates were only a few yards ahead of them. There were several couples around them, all heading in the same direction. Beyond the gate was a growing crowd of people. It was still too early in the evening for the first night's festival to begin, but the streets were already beginning to fill with vendors and tourists.

Pushing thoughts of war out of her mind, she concentrated on the moment. "Sorry... d-dear," she said. Smiling, she offered Shikamaru her hand and tried not to blush. The attempt failed miserably.

Shikamaru looked straight ahead when he took her hand in his. For all of his boldness in grabbing her hand, he seemed just as uncomfortable with the physical contact between them as she was.

"How are we going to pull this off?" Sakura asked, sotto voce. "No one is going to believe we're on our honeymoon."

"Sure they will," he whispered back. "We hold hands, hug once or twice, you tell me what to do and I act whipped and agree to everything you say. Easy."

Sakura scoffed at his bravado, then said something she instantly regretted. "Spoken like a man who's never been in a long-term relationship in his life."

"I have more experience with long-term relationships than you do," he said without missing a beat. By his tone of voice, Sakura knew he was being sincere. He wasn't trying to make a backhanded comment about her and Sasuke.

"You only dated Ino for about five months," she replied, following his lead.

"I know," he grimaced. "At times it felt like a lifetime."

Sakura grinned, then chuckled. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Shikamaru smirking. The look on his face was almost roguish. Seeing it, Sakura laughed even more.

* * *

**AN:** WTB more ShikaSaku fanart. Not for this fic, just in general. The world needs more ShikaSaku.

Just sayin' ;)


	5. professionalism

**dawning**

**.:professionalism:.**  
chapter five

* * *

One bed. One queen-sized bed with a deep burgundy comforter and several pillows piled up around the headboard. Some of them covered with velvet. Others with hints of lace and silk. Clearly, the room was decorated with the romance festival in mind. If there was any question, the bottle of champagne on ice waiting on the nightstand removed all doubt.

The two blushing Leaf-nin stared at the furnishings for a moment before Shikamaru abruptly cleared his throat and dropped his pack in the corner. Sakura followed suit and without a word, they began to check the room for bugs and wire taps. Neither expected to find anything, but they didn't feel safe until they verified that the room was secure.

"Looks clear," Shikamaru said, heading toward the washbasin. He turned on the faucet and began washing his hands.

Tired and anxious for a shower, Sakura plopped herself down on the corner of the bed. "Do you want to take a shower first?"

"No, I can wait."

She flicked her braid over her shoulder and asked, "So who gets the bed tonight?"

"You take the bed," he said, voice muffled as he washed his face. "I'll sleep on the floor."

"Okay," Sakura reached for the phone. "Then I'll call room service for some extra blankets."

"I don't need any." The faucet turned off with a squeak and he reached for a hand towel. "I'll just take the extra blanket on the bed, you can have the comforter."

"Well, I'll want an extra blanket or two for the floor," she said. "It's not like we can ask them for a futon, but extra blankets will give some cushion."

As though she didn't hear him the first time, he repeated himself. Tone more definitive and final. "You're not going to sleep on the floor. You get the bed, _I_ get the floor."

Confused by his insistence, she frowned. "That's not what I meant," she murmured. With a louder voice, she clarified her intent. "We should use the bed in shifts. You sleep on it one night, I sleep on it the next—"

"What kind of man sleeps in a bed while a woman sleeps on the floor?"

For a second, Sakura was touched. His words felt sincere. It wasn't often that a man her age said something so chivalrous. A ghost of a smile lifted her features before she remembered the stories Ino told her shortly after their breakup. Sakura knew at the time that her friend was probably exaggerating due to anger, but most girls recognized the fact that Shikamaru had a tendency toward chauvinism.

The truth of the moment revealed, she rolled her eyes and didn't bother to argue any further. If he wanted to sleep on the floor he was welcome to it.

"Suit yourself," Sakura shrugged, making it a point to appear unconcerned. Jaw clenched in annoyance, she retrieved her shoes near the door and began to unscrew one of the heels.

'_What kind of man sleeps in a bed while a woman sleeps on the floor?_'

His question irritated her. Not because of his chauvinism, but because for the first few seconds after he said it, she felt good. If not a little special. She felt as though he respected her as more than a fellow shinobi. His question made her feel like a lady.

'_I'm just being foolish and overly sensitive,' _she thought sardonically, carefully removing three tiny, surveillance devices from the heel of her sandal. _'Why do I do this to myself? I'm such an idiot when it comes to men._'

Transmitters neatly arranged before her, she dropped the shoes beside the bed. With great care, she checked the radios for any obvious signs of problems. Each transmitter looked perfectly intact, but the same couldn't be said for her hands and nails. There were tiny cuts and abrasions on her hands and wrists, dirt was caked under her nails and her polish was chipped. She worked some of the dirt out from under one nail and scowled. She was a mess.

As hard as she tried, it was never easy to keep clean while traveling on a mission. Sometimes she wished she could be as carefree as the men when they traveled. They never seemed quite so bothered by being dirty, but Sakura always felt gross. Sometimes to the point where she would sacrifice much needed sleep just to find a stream where she could wash up.

"We should explore the village tonight," Shikamaru said. Back facing her, he knelt near the bed and began to rummage through his pack. "It would be wise to get a good feel for the town and make a few contacts before the place becomes too overwhelmed with tourists."

"That sounds fine," she said. "I'm going to take a quick shower."

"Okay."

Selecting a change of clothes from her pack, she stood and made her way to the bathroom. Door locked behind her, she didn't waste any time getting in the shower. After scrubbing away the grime, she managed a deep, relaxed sigh as she let the hot water soak into her muscles. Taking her time, she lathered her waist-length hair, mindful of every snag and tangle she felt for more personal attention later.

Long hair was a chore. One that she endured because Sasuke had said he liked long hair when they were both still in the Academy. Cutting her hair in the Chuunin Exam gave her freedom, but only as a kunoichi. She still let her one-sided affection for Sasuke bind her to him. When he finally returned to the village, Sakura let her hair grow out again. She did so more out of a desire to recapture what had been lost than for any sort of vanity. She actually liked having her hair short, but now her long locks felt heavy with memory and regret.

She turned off the water with a pained expression. What good did it do her to have long hair? Or devote all her time to her training so she could learn how to help Sasuke? How many times did Tsunade-shishou and Ino tell her to forget about him?

Squeezing her eyes shut and taking a deep breath, Sakura willed herself not to cry. Hearing Shikamaru's voice from beyond the door helped to distract her. He was checking in with the rest of the team and sounded as tired as she felt just minutes ago. Pulling on her clothes and grabbing her bag of toiletries, she stepped out of the bathroom just as Shikamaru signed off.

Sakura offered him a smile. "I'm done," she said with forced cheer. "The shower is free."

He didn't reply. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he stared off into space. Then removed the band that kept his hair out of his face. Thick, black locks fell forward around his shoulders, framing his face as he yawned and scratched the back of his head.

He looked completely different with his hair down. In all the years that Sakura knew Shikamaru she never really noticed him. Her earliest memory of him was laughing at him when the teacher threw a chalkboard eraser at his head for sleeping during class. He just wasn't the type of guy a girl noticed right away. Not like Naruto, who was always loud and jovial. Or Sasuke, who was recluse and dark. Shikamaru had always just been... _there_. Somewhere in the background, doing his own thing.

But now... she couldn't stop staring at him. His expression neutral and his dark eyes lost in thought, Sakura allowed herself a moment to take a good, long look at her squad leader.

Shikamaru, with his wide shoulders, athletic build and long black hair, wasn't a bad-looking guy by any stretch of the imagination. And when he wasn't actively scowling, yawning or complaining, he looked good. _Really_ good. And very un-Shikamaru-like. With a start, Sakura realized that if she didn't know him — if she had just met him on the street somewhere and saw him as he was right now — she would have easily described him as almost looking kind of... _sexy_.

Feeling her face redden, she tore her eyes away and began to look through her bag for a comb.

'_Sexy!_' she thought. '_There's no way 'sexy' and 'Shikamaru' can ever go together. Not at all..._'

Comb in hand, she stole one more glance at her squad leader just in time to see his shoulders slump as he gave a dejected sigh.

"E-everything okay?" she asked.

"Fine," he said. "Just tired."

"Oh," she gently worked some of the tangles out of her hair, then parted it down the middle. Sakura could see Shikamaru watching her in the mirror, shoulders still slumped and countenance obviously fatigued.

"You should take a shower, Shikamaru. It'll make you feel better," she said, still trying to ignore the bizarre discovery that her squad leader could possibly be described as '_hot._'

"Your hair is so long," he said as he continued to peer at her.

Sakura blinked at him. "It's been long for years. You know that."

"But you always have to pulled back in that braid," he said. "Or in a ponytail."

"You've seen my hair down before," she reminded him. "Just last week."

He grunted, "I was too busy trying to think of an escape route while Kiba and Naruto made asses of themselves to notice."

Sakura glanced at him in the reflection of the mirror and smirked, "Me, too. But you're right. I don't like to wear it down. It gets in the way if I don't keep it pulled back."

Using his hands to support his weight, he sat back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. "All that hair would drive me crazy," he said.

"What are you talking about?" Sakura turned to face him fully, "You have long hair, too. And it looks a lot thicker than mine."

"It drives me crazy, too."

"Why don't you cut it?"

"Too troublesome to go to a barber," he said. "And my mother nags me whenever she does it."

"When was the last time you had it cut?" she asked, facing the mirror again.

"I don't know. A couple of years, I think."

She bit back a laugh. "Figures."

Leaning over the side of the bed, he grabbed his pack. "That reminds me," he said, pulling out a clean pair of pants and a shirt. Civilian style. "We should probably do something to change our appearance a bit more. Nothing major."

Sakura lifted a brow, "You think someone all the way out here might recognize us?"

"Probably not," he admitted. "But it wouldn't hurt."

"What are you going to do?"

He smirked. "Not shave."

Sakura rolled her eyes. He hadn't shaved since they left Konoha.

"Is that all?" she asked.

"For now."

"You're serious?"

He rubbed the stubble along his jaw line thoughtfully. "Eh, maybe. But not shaving is the least troublesome option for me so I'll try it first."

"Well, what should I do?"

He shrugged.

"You're no help," she muttered.

"You're a woman," he said. "How is a guy supposed to advise a woman about changing the way she looks without being considered a jerk? It just isn't possible."

"Sounds like you're speaking from experience," she quipped, studying her reflection.

He snorted, but said nothing.

Fingering a lock of hair thoughtfully, she considered her possibilities. Perhaps this was her opportunity to make a change. Wasn't Ino always telling her to splurge on herself? She was always trying to get her to do something different with her hair. Of course "something different" in Ino's mind usually translated into "something daring" and Sakura was far too traditional to ever want to do something drastic. But Ino would swear up and down that 'nothing felt better than a fresh, new hairdo!' Sakura had never really believed her, but now she felt different. Now she wanted a change - and in a way, she almost craved it. Shikamaru's suggestion was the perfect excuse for it and she couldn't help but wonder if a bit of a change would do her good. Perhaps a new hair style would help her to feel a bit better about herself. For as annoying as Ino could be, the girl did know a thing or two about human nature and beauty.

The only problem was that way out here in the Wind Country, Sakura didn't feel that there was a whole lot she _could_ do. Especially on such short notice.

"The only thing I can think to do to change my appearance is to cut my hair," she said finally. "I could even color it."

Shikamaru peered at her, doubtful. "I wouldn't do anything _that_ troublesome."

"What else can I do? It's not like I can grow a beard."

Using the side of her hand, she measured off how much she was willing to trim. "I could cut it to here," she said as she rested her hand against her chest, an inch above her breast. "Maybe shorter. I don't know. And I could use that temporary hair color stuff that washes out after a week or two."

She looked at him for his opinion, but he said nothing.

"No?"

He sighed, "Whatever. I'll cut your hair if you think that's best, but you look pretty different with your hair down as it is. I wouldn't color it though. It's a pleasant color the way it is."

• • •

NEXT DAY

His hand was sweaty. Or maybe it was her hand that was sweaty. Either way, their palms and fingers felt slick with moisture. She didn't let go of him, nor he to her. But that didn't make the whole situation any less uncomfortable. And the way her wedding ring occasionally pinched her finger when he tightened his grip didn't help.

"Female. Dark hair and eyes. Right hand may be scarred. No mention of age," Shikamaru whispered, listing the vague information they had for one of their targets. "And no specific information regarding the male... other than gender and his association with the female."

"Right," Sakura brushed a tendril of hair out of her eyes. The thickening ebb and flow of tourists as they moved through the center of town augured of things to come. It was only the first full day of the festival and already the village felt swollen with bodies. "Got it."

Inclining his head toward the main road that divided the town, he asked, "You ready?"

Sakura nodded and automatically tensed, her fingers tightening around Shikamaru's hand. Without a word he led her into the thick mass of people. Voices buzzed around them with happy chitchat and toothy chuckles. Couples leaned into each other with fingers intertwined as they walked. Kisses, deep and chaste, were exchanged like gifts between the wedded. The cuteness of well-nourished love was almost too much to bear. All around her were people who had found someone to love and to be loved in return. Seeing their joy and contentment reminded her of her own despair. She did her best to ignore it, but with so much of what she wanted everywhere she looked, she felt choked.

Thoughts of Sasuke stole her concentration. She could only think of her want for him to smile for her. To lean into her and whisper in her ear. To feel his hand wrapped around hers... his arm brushing against her side...

'_He hates me. Used me... I don't mean anything to him._' Sakura bit her lip and looked down at her feet. Gravel and sand crunched together, creating a grinding noise that felt somehow forlorn. '_It's over. It's been over for years._' Her teeth made a tiny cut in her lip, drawing blood. _'It never was! I've been fooling myself for years. I'm such an idiot..._'

Not watching where she was going, she bumped into a man just before he took a drink of his beverage. Embarrassed and red-faced, she sheepishly apologized before Shikamaru pulled her deeper into the cluster of people. Finally brought back to the present, her ill at ease in the crowd only got worse. Even though no one had noticed them yet, Sakura felt as though she and Shikamaru stood out like blood on white.

'_I can't do this. I can't pull off a mission like this... I can't—_'

"Sakura."

Lifting her chin, she looked at Shikamaru out of the corners of her eyes.

"You're staring at the ground," he chided. "Be alert."

Clenching her jaw, Sakura gave a single, jerky nod causing her much shorter hair to dance just below her jaw. Shoulders squared, she stubbornly pushed away thoughts of Sasuke as she observed their surroundings. A bead of sweat along her hairline tickled her. She unconsciously wiped it away and sighed. It felt as though the sun was much closer to the earth in the Wind Country than in the Fire Country. The constant breeze made the mid-day heat tolerable. But only barely.

Unlike the forest-covered Fire Country, the Wind Country was mostly desert. The atmosphere was dry and the land relatively flat. Without large trees, hills and mountains to form a natural barrier, the currents of air moved freely. In the open desert, the wind could easily become dangerous as it often formed dust storms and mini-twisters that could tear apart tents and destroy equipment. Sometimes the winds could be so violent that the sand would scrape away exposed flesh.

Hitofuki was one of the few villages in the Wind Country that had a river flowing through its heart. With such a precious resource, the town was originally founded as nothing more than a farming community and minor hub for agricultural imports and exports. That is until someone came up with the idea for an annual 'Romance Festival' almost 60 years ago. Since then, the village had grown significantly. Though remnants of the small farming town it used to be could still be seen. Stores specializing in tilling supplies and equipment dotted the streets and were dwarfed by neighboring casinos and bars.

Couples circulated from hotel to casino to restaurant and back again. Sakura's eyes moved from female to female, seeking out a match to Ryozo's description. There were plenty of women with dark hair, but she was too far away from most of them to verify if they had dark eyes or not. On reflex, Sakura studied their hands.

"This is more troublesome than I thought," Shikamaru said. "More tourists will show up in the next few days and the streets are already clogged with people."

Twisting her body to the side, Sakura did her best to avoid a grinning tourist posing for a photo. "I don't see how we're ever going to find these people."

"We _have_ to," he said, voice low. "A fellow shinobi of Konoha was killed for what he learned. We have to figure out why."

Sakura blinked and peered at him. His tone felt so grave when he spoke. More grave than she had ever heard it before. And his visage was just as severe as his voice. His eyes intense and lips forming a tight line, Sakura felt reprimanded. And deservedly so.

'_What's wrong with me? I'm being childish,_' she berated herself. '_We're investigating the _Akatsuki_. There is no margin for error. I can't think about Sasuke... not now... not when the Hokage is counting on us..._'

"Damn, it's hot," Shikamaru said, wiping his brow. "I need something to drink. You thirsty?"

"Yeah," she nodded.

The lazy Jounin quickly scanned the food stands lining the streets before zeroing in on one that caught his interest. He pulled them into line directly behind a couple that looked to be their age and happily engaged in playful kissing.

With everyone around them being so opening affectionate, it quickly became clear that she and Shikamaru were the only ones not on the verge of making-out. She felt tense and uncomfortable at the realization and from the scowl Shikamaru wore, she guessed he felt the same way. If they were a real couple, they would be kissing, too. Or at least, be leaning into each other more. Sakura doubted Shikamaru was the type to engage in public displays of affection. He seemed far too cynical and lazy to go to the effort.

'_But Ino never complained about Shikamaru not being affectionate when they were dating,_' Sakura thought, studying Shikamaru's profile. '_She was just frustrated because he didn't like to do the things she did. And when he did go along with what she wanted to do, he complained about it.'_

Sakura glanced down at their joined hands, _'Shikamaru is an introvert. And Ino is very extroverted... and she can be bossy, and flashy sometimes. Shikamaru is much more low-key. That was probably what frustrated—_'

"Can I help you?" a male voice asked, pulling the medic-nin from her musings.

"Oh! Uh..." Sakura scanned the menu board. "I'll have a strawberry mix."

The man behind the counter looked to Shikamaru.

"Lemonade."

With a nod, the man went to work. The lazy Jounin capitalized on the moment to engage the man in small talk.

"Is it always this crowded out?"

The man glanced at him over his shoulder at Shikamaru and gave him a queer look. "Are you kidding? This is just the beginning. In another four days you won't be able to walk down the street after nightfall."

"Really?"

"Oh, yeah. The weather has been nice this season so we're expecting a really large turnout," he said, handing Sakura her drink. "It usually gets less busy around here during the street shows and fireworks, though."

Sakura's brows rose. "Fireworks?"

The man nodded as he started on the next drink. "Every night at ten o'clock. It lasts for about half an hour or so."

"So if we wanted to go out to eat with less people around," Shikamaru said, "would that be the best time to do it?"

"I'd say so. Most of the restaurants around here stay open pretty late," the man said as he finished their order. "Some even stay open until one or two in the morning during the festival."

Shikamaru gave a polite nod, "Thanks."

"No problem."

Reaching for Sakura's hand, he stepped away from the counter and led her back through the cluster of people milling about the street. They walked for several yards before finding an empty bench in full view of the main road.

"We should split up," Shikamaru said, sitting down and stretching his legs out in front of him. "You take the east side of the street and I'll take the west. We'll meet back here once every hour."

Sakura stirred her drink with the straw. "Okay."

They watched the activity in the town center for several moments before Shikamaru leaned toward her.

"You're wearing your radio, right?" he asked, sotto voce.

She made a quick gesture toward her chest, her thumb nearly hitting her sternum between her breasts. "I'm wearing it now."

Shikamaru frowned. "Is that _really_ the best place for it?"

"Why?" She took a swallow of her drink, then realized what he probably meant. "I didn't put the thing in my bra if that's what you're asking."

He made a face and shrugged. "I don't care. As long as it isn't too troublesome to use."

Hooking a finger under her collar, she revealed a thin chain. She held it just long enough for Shikamaru to realize she wore the tiny device as a necklace, then promptly tucked the chain out of sight.

"Shouldn't be a problem," she said.

"Right," his eyes met hers. Voice low and tone solemn, he said, "We have a lot of ground to cover in the next few days. We have to find the targets quickly. The more time we spend looking, the more opportunity we have to screw up and risk making the enemy aware of our presence."

She swallowed the last of her drink and nodded.

"If you see something suspicious, make a mental note of it and we'll investigate it together later. If you do find the target, signal me with your radio and I'll find you. If you encounter the enemy, even if there is only one of them and you're certain they didn't see you, use your radio and start heading back toward camp. These guys work in pairs. Don't forget that," he warned. "It's best to assume the worst, so don't take any chances."

"Understood."

"If I find the target or encounter the enemy," he said, "I'll do the same."

She breathed deeply and nodded.

"One hour," he reiterated.

Sakura noted the time on her watch. "Right."

He stood and tossed his empty cup into a nearby trashcan. "See you then."


	6. impetus

**dawning**

**.:impetus:.**  
chapter six

* * *

Millions of tiny particles of dust floated in the arid atmosphere, creating an orange and red haze around the sun as it slowly sank below the horizon. Both watched the display in a companionable silence. Shikamaru yawned, stretched his legs out in front of him and sank deeper into his seat. After being on his feet all day and fighting through crowds of people, it was nice to relax.

Sakura stirred beside him and sighed. Her demeanor seemed to match how he felt, but she didn't slouch like he did. Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, she continued to stare off into space. He studied her out of the corners of his eyes and wondered if she had better luck today than he did.

"Did you have any success this afternoon?" he asked, choosing his words carefully. There was always a chance someone was listening.

"No," she said. "Not really."

"Where did you go?"

"I went to a couple of clothing boutiques," she replied, sparing him a glance before turning her attention back to the setting sun. "I talked to some of the locals. They were nice, but none of them were especially interesting."

Shikamaru tilted his head to peer at the darkening sky. The moon had yet to rise, but the first few stars of the evening were just starting to peek through. For as much as a desert frustrated him with its lack of cloud cover, it did offer a spectacular view of the milky way.

"I see."

"How about you?" she asked.

"The same."

Her frown mirrored his mood perfectly. After checking into the hotel, exploring the village, talking to locals and tourists, carefully eavesdropping on conversations, observing possible suspects, comparing notes and brainstorming possible leads, Shikamaru was worn out. Not to mention a little stressed. His natural inclination was to find a quiet spot to ponder. But there was never an opportunity to do that. Except at night, when he should be asleep. So focused on their mission objective, Shikamaru kept forgetting that in addition to finding their targets, he was also supposed to be acting like a couple. Husband and wife - not a two-man ninja team.

Being more analytical than sophistical, Shikamaru wasn't exactly sure how to act. He pretty much just mimicked what he saw, as long as he was comfortable doing it. Like holding hands. That was easy.

Kissing..? Not so easy.

"Someone asked me where my husband was this afternoon," Sakura flicked a speck of lint from her pants. "Tomorrow we'll have to walk around town together."

He nodded, but said nothing.

"By the way," she said, voice noticeably more quiet. "Were you aware that nearly _every_ casino in town is also attached to a brothel?"

Not quite sure where she was going with that question, he merely inclined his head in acknowledgment. "That's to be expected."

"Well, I didn't know," she said. "I figured there were a couple of them around, but not everywhere."

Shikamaru paused, suddenly realizing that she must have gone to one today. The mental image of Sakura in a brothel surrounded by women (and some men) whose sole purpose was to incite lust filled his mind and he smirked. Sakura, who spent her childhood hiding behind a veil of pink hair, would have been more than a little out-of-place in such an environment.

Peering at her with curiosity shining in his eyes, he suddenly wanted to know the details of this particular story. He studied her body language, noting her forced look of impassivity on top of an uneasy countenance . She seemed to sense his perusal and refused to look at him. Her gaze was still directed toward the setting sun while she absently fidgeted with the ring on her finger.

"How, exactly?" he asked.

"I thought it was part of the casino," she said, a little too quickly. "It was just... right there. Wasn't like there was a sign or anything. I just walked in thinking I had accidentally run into some stage show or something. Everyone was dressed so... so..."

"Provocatively?"

She gave a nervous laugh, "Yes!"

"And?" he pressed.

"And what?" she said. "I turned around and left."

Shikamaru snorted in spite of himself. The lie was obvious and she knew it.

To her credit, Sakura dropped the pretext immediately and her face dissolved into a sheepish expression. "Okay, fine. Some guy asked me if I wanted... if I needed... his... uh... services," she mumbled. "I almost punched him through the wall until a woman wearing some ridiculous outfit rubbed up against me and asked if I was lost or if I was looking to 'have some fun."

"Really?" his smile made his cheeks dimple. Damn shame he missed seeing _that_. "Sounds like you did meet some interesting people today."

She snorted and crossed her arms over her chest. The gesture distinctly reminded him of Tsunade.

"What did you say?" he asked. "You told her no, right?"

"Of course I told her no!"

Shikamaru grinned.

"But then the guy took that as interest in him! Even when I told him no, he persisted. He even offered to lower his rates!" She dropped her head into her hands and moaned, "It was sooo embarrassing."

"Is that when you figured it out?"

"I'm not stupid, Shikamaru," she said, a little too defensively. "I knew what they were, I was just so-"

"Embarrassed?" He supplied. "Mortified?"

She groaned, "You're never going to let me live this down, are you? God, when Ino finds out she'll laugh herself senseless."

As much as he tried to keep from laughing, he couldn't contain himself. The more mortified she looked, the more amused he became until his chuckles morphed into near guffaws. She allowed him a moment of laughing at her expense, but when she reached her limit, she elbowed him hard in the ribs. The blow stole his breath as it reminded him to beware. Sakura, like her shishou, was freakishly strong.

"Stop laughing! How the hell was I supposed to know this stupid town is filled with brothels and... and... _man-whores?_"

"Sorry," he cleared his throat and rubbed his side. Try as he might, he couldn't completely erase the smirk.

She gave him a doubtful look.

"Really," Shikamaru insisted, still grinning.

Sakura pointedly looked away from him.

"What happened next?" he asked.

"Nothing," she said with a petulant tone. "Never mind."

"Oh, come on," he said as the image of Sakura standing in the middle of a brothel, red-faced and befuddled filled his mind. Before he could help it, the chuckles began anew. "You have to finish the story now."

"You know, as my _husband_, one would think that you would be a little annoyed at hearing that someone tried to solicit me for sex."

"I am," he dead-panned. "I am extremely irate."

His overly serious tone had the effect he desired. Her embarrassment gave way to mild amusement as her mouth started to fracture into a smile. In spite of her best efforts to keep it straight.

"You let the man-whore down easily, didn't you?" Shikamaru asked, voice and expression serious but eyes still filled with mirth. "Or did he persist? I'm sure pink-haired girls are a rare treat for them considering it's quite obvious that you're not from the Wind Country."

"That's what he said!"

Shikamaru laughed, earning another elbow to the side. Though this hit was far less forceful than the first.

"I should have known that a place like this would have a lot of prostitutes," Sakura sighed. "I just didn't expect them to be quite so... flamboyant and persistent. Neither one of them seemed disappointed when I explained that I was happily married," she blushed "The woman's response to that was, _'Oh, we entertain those, too.'_"

Dipping her head down, the medic-nin rubbed her forehead and sighed, "I think I really could have died from embarrassment right then. I had no idea what to say after that. I just turned around and left."

It was impossible to stop the laughter after that. After a moment, Sakura's quiet, abashed mirth joined his.

It was hard not to look at her when she giggled. Her short, cropped hair bounced around her chin as her green eyes crinkled from her smile. She cut her hair the first night they arrived, but he was still getting used to the change. It wasn't like he hadn't seen her with short hair before. She wore it in a similar style after her first Chuunin exam. But when Sasuke came back, she grew it out again.

With pink locks framing her face, she almost looked transformed. If not more mature somehow. Some of that maturity probably had to do with the fact that she was wearing makeup. He'd never seen her wear makeup before. Sakura didn't have a lot on her face. Not like some of the women he'd seen in town. But enough to give a subtle definition to features that were already pleasing to the eye.

"I think I heard that woman laughing at me when I left," she said when the amusement began to die down. "I almost ran over some of the patrons on my way out. I'm sure my face was bright red."

"Your face is bright red now."

Sakura lightly smacked his arm. "Shut up."

He smirked, then bumped her shoulder gently, "I won't tell Ino."

"It's okay if you do," she said with a grateful smile. "It would amuse her for a week and then she'd find something else to entertain her."

"True enough."

With those two words, she sighed beside him and settled deeper into her seat. Then the companionable silence returned. They remained like that for several minutes as the setting sun finally disappeared below the horizon.

"So what now?" Sakura asked. "Want to get something to eat?"

"Did that brothel have a restaurant attached to it, too?" he teased.

"Jerk," she mumbled, though her lips were twisted into a small, amused smile.

He grinned, "Yeah, I'm hungry, too. I haven't really eaten anything since breakfast. Any ideas—?"

Shikamaru's voice caught when she leaned into him, hooking her arm around his and pressing her cheek against his shoulder. He tensed and peered at the top of her head for an explanation.

"We're being watched," she whispered, interlacing their fingers.

"Where?"

"To the left," she said. "Eight o'clock."

Without a word, he removed his hand from hers and wrapped an arm around her shoulders instead. Sakura didn't immediately melt into his side. She hesitated for a moment, tensed, then scooted herself closer to him. When she did, he dipped his face toward her and glanced in the eight o'clock position.

"It's a woman," he whispered, his chin resting on the top of her head. "She has dark hair. Looks middle-aged."

Voice muffled by his chest, she asked, "What's she doing?"

"Watching us." He caught stuttered movement out of the corner of his eye. She walked with a slight limp. "Now she's coming this way."

"Aa."

"She's carrying a bucket," he whispered, then squinted his eyes. "I think there's flowers in it."

"Street florist?"

"Looks that way."

Moments later they were face-to-face with the woman. She looked to be in her late forties, early fifties. Brown hair peppered with gray was pulled back into a loose bun. She wore a modest kimono under a long, white apron. Scissors and ribbon peeked out of her pockets and her hands were thin, tan and calloused.

Indeed she was a florist. Dozens of long-stemmed, red roses filled the metal bucket she carried. She smiled at them, eyes bright and cheery and Shikamaru smiled in return. Clearly, she was there to make a sale.

"Oh, my," the woman beamed. "What a handsome couple!"

Sakura sat up a little straighter, but remained within Shikamaru's semi-embrace. She smiled at the woman and pushed a lock of hair out of her eyes. "Th-thanks."

Still grinning, the florist quipped, "A handsome couple means handsome children."

Shikamaru flinched. Seeing his reaction, the older woman's grin curled even higher.

"Is this your honeymoon?" she asked.

Sakura squeezed his hand, "Yes."

"A honeymoon is a great time to start trying."

Shikamaru and Sakura exchanged strained glances.

"I- I think... we're going to wait a while," Sakura said.

"Oh, well," the woman smiled. "Sometimes things like that have a way of sneaking up on you. That's what happened to my husband and I."

Sakura managed a polite laugh.

"That's what I love about living here," the florist continued. "So many young couples visit every year. It's so nice to see so many people in love and happy. Such a blessing!"

Neither shinobi said a word, but did their best to make their smiles look genuine.

The florist stepped closer. Toward Sakura.

"May I see the ring?" she asked, holding out an open palm toward the pink-haired kunoichi.

Sakura automatically held out her left hand and the florist inspected the jewelry.

"My goodness, that's very nice," she said. "Did he pick that out by himself?"

"It's an heirloom from his family," Sakura said.

"Ah," she smiled, then turned her eyes toward Shikamaru. "You have a beautiful young woman here. You're a lucky man."

"I know," he said automatically. His voice sounded flat to his ears, so he tried to compensate by giving Sakura's shoulders a quick squeeze. The gesture felt completely phony to him. And he was certain it looked phony as well, but the older woman's smile said otherwise. She seemed to approve.

"Would you like to buy a rose for your special lady?"

He hesitated.

"Such a lovely woman deserves a lovely flower," the street florist continued, lifting her bucket of roses for emphasis. "Beauty compliments beauty."

The florist grinned when Shikamaru reached for his wallet.

"How much?" he asked.

"Five ryō a rose," she said. "They were all cut this morning so they'll last a long time if you take care of them."

"No, that's okay." Sakura caught Shikamaru's eye, "You don't have to buy me a flower."

Removing fifteen ryō from his wallet and handing the cash to the florist, he asked, "Why not? I want to."

Sakura blushed as the florist selected three buds. Trimming the stems and tying the flowers together with a ribbon, she presented the roses to the bride.

"Thank you," the pink-haired woman murmured, staring at the partially opened buds.

Watching her with the flowers gave him a distinct impression that the mood of the evening had changed. He no longer felt like a shinobi conspiring with his teammate. He felt like a guy out on a date.

The delicate smile she wore as she smelled the tiny bouquet only reinforced that idea. He was barely aware of the florist anymore. Nor was his mind occupied with strategies pertaining to their mission parameters. His distraction was complete when she looked up at him and grinned.

She was happy. Genuinely happy.

It seemed strange to Shikamaru that she would be so pleased over such a little thing. Especially something given under the pretext of their mission, but the emotion was clearly there. Before he had any more time to ponder it, she leaned forward and kissed him. It was quick and chaste, but her lips touched his.

In the silence that followed, Shikamaru realized that the florist was gone. And had been gone. They were alone when Sakura kissed him. Which meant the affection had not been done for show, but had been real.

Her arm hooked around his as they walked down the street, Shikamaru couldn't shake the feeling that something strange just transpired. Something unexpected and eerily date-like. Pushing the troublesome sensation from his mind, he focused on observing his surroundings and doing his best to ignore the fact that there was a beautiful woman on his arm.

It didn't take long for him to realize he was fighting a losing battle.

• • •

He would never get used to it, no matter how necessary or quick or mercifully it happened. He would never get used to killing people.

And that was a good thing. He didn't want to get used to it. He didn't want to become indifferent to it like some of his peers had. It used to bother him the way his fellow shinobi would act after killing a person. Naruto would feel grieved and disgusted while the more seasoned ninja around him appeared unaffected.

That bothered him. A lot. Until he realized that they were just doing their best to cope, too. It wasn't that they were unsympathetic to the loss of life, they just learned to detach themselves from it. And that was why they seemed so callous.

Naruto, on the other hand, couldn't bring himself to detach. At least not completely. Regardless of who he killed or why, he always wondered if there was someone waiting for that person to return. There was comfort in the fact that of the few people Naruto had killed, all of them were shinobi. Which meant they all understood the risks of their profession.

Even so, that didn't mean he couldn't pay respects to the dead and try to give them at least a little peace.

Mud squished around his knee as he leaned over the Earth-nin corpse. Very gently, Naruto closed the dead man's eyes before searching through his pockets. Various throwing knives, smoke bombs and flash grenades were found, but nothing otherwise helpful. Or insightful.

Frustrated, Naruto pulled off the dead man's shoes and hiked up his pant leg. There had to be something, some shred of evidence or clue to justify the purpose of their mission.

"Anything?" his former sensei asked.

Scowling, Naruto sat back on his hunches. "Nothing."

Kakashi nodded and turned toward Lee and Neji. "How about you guys?"

"Nothing here, either," Neji said, wiping his brow with the back of his hand.

"We need to contact Tsunade-sama," Shinuze said. "This isn't panning out the way she had hoped."

"No, it's not," Kakashi squatted near one of the four Earth-nin corpses and sighed. "We need to destroy the bodies before nightfall and start heading for the border. Our time here is up. The Hokage will probably issue us new orders."

Silence was Kakashi's only reply as the Leaf shinobi began the grisly task of destroying all evidence of their presence and deeds. Nostrils filled with the stench of death, Naruto voiced the question on everyone's mind.

"She's just going to have us return to Konoha, right?"

Lee nodded. "We're most likely going to be their first target."

"They attacked the Sand first last time," Neji pointed out. "We don't know for sure if Konoha will be their first target."

Shizune finished dissolving one corpse and moved on to the next one. "Tsunade-sama doesn't believe they will attack anyone again any time soon."

"Why not?" Naruto asked.

"Because," she said, "Tsunade-sama thinks they've learned from past mistakes. She thinks they're trying a whole new tactic now."

Curious, Naruto pressed the subject some more. "Like what?"

Kakashi wiped his hands clean and sat down on an outcropping of rocks. "Their main objective is probably the same, but now they're being more political about it."

Naruto's brows furled.

"It doesn't matter if the scroll I found was real or fake," he continued. "The end result is the same. Tsunade is questioning who our allies really are and our allies are going to question us once they eventually find out about this mission and Shikamaru's. The Akatsuki has turned the game political, which makes it all the more difficult to manage."

Politics. That was the only serious draw back Naruto saw about becoming Hokage. To him, politics was just a game of who could manipulate whom better, which went against the noisy ninja's nature. If he didn't like something that someone was doing, he just told them. He didn't pretend to like it or try to get the person to change by pulling strings. He would just confront them. And to him, that was the easiest and quickest way to get results.

Playing politics was slow. Even tedious. The older he got, the more he appreciated the subtleties of what the Hokage did. And no matter how boring or tedious understanding politics was, he would master it. So it was with great interest that Naruto listened to his comrades discuss the nuances of their mission. And, to his pleasure, he found himself _getting_ it.

'_A ninja must be able to read underneath the underneath..._'

"They want to distract us," Naruto said. "If all of the Kage's and Feudal Lords are busy with diplomacy, they're less likely to notice something else going on behind the scenes. The Akatsuki can move easier then."

Kakashi grinned under his mask. "Exactly."

"When you explain it like that," Lee said. "It sounds like this mission was a waste of time."

"It probably was." Sighing, Kakashi stood and dusted himself off. "Let's start back toward the border. The Hokage will tell us what to do. She'll probably make us stay in the field until she hears from Shikamaru's team. Until then, we'll just have to wait."

• • •

Tomorrow, he would shave.

It was too hot to not shave. Not that he had a full beard, yet, but the stubble was long enough that sweat would trickle down his face and get caught. It was an uncomfortable sensation. And he was getting tired of it fast.

Plus, Sakura suggested that he shave. Not that her opinion was what pushed him toward his decision, but it certainly didn't hurt.

Back pressed against the sun bleached stone and mortar exterior of the tiny bistro with his arms folded over his chest and head tilted back, Shikamaru gazed at the night sky. The moon was out, full and bright. It glowed far overhead, surrounded by stars and partially obscured by a thin ribbon of clouds. Sighing, he leaned forward to get a quick look inside the restaurant window. Sure enough, Sakura was still in there. And she was still talking to the hostess.

Or was it that the hostess was still talking to her?

Either way, he was stuck waiting and he was growing impatient. He wasn't alone. A handful of other men were milling about the main entrance, too. Each of them waiting for their wives who remained inside the closing restaurant.

'_At least my wife is doing something constructive,_' Shikamaru thought, shifting his weight. '_Those other troublesome women are using the restroom for a social gathering._'

He frowned at the night sky. It would take a lifetime to understand the mind of a female. So much of what they did was a dichotomy. Like going to the restroom. It seemed to function as both a place to answer the call of nature and socialize. This inevitably led to a long line.

It made no sense to him why women would choose to cause so much trouble for themselves. Public restrooms were designed for one purpose. To use it as a place to fuss with their hair, makeup and clothes, in addition to socializing with friends and strangers, seemed totally ridiculous. Especially when doing so only caused a crowd, which slowed down the whole process of getting to a toilet to relieve yourself.

For as much as women complained about lengthy bathroom lines, they sure didn't do anything to prevent their evolution.

Looking through the front window of the bistro again, Shikamaru saw Sakura still chatting with the hostess. The three roses he bought for her earlier that evening were safely in her care. She kept the flowers within reach at all times, careful not to bruise the petals.

Once again, he was struck by the strangeness of the evening. The flowers seemed to act as a catalyst, altering the evening into something he wasn't quite comfortable with and yet complying to. He said nothing of the kiss. Nor did she. And like all things perplexing, he had a difficult time dismissing the incident from his mind. He knew he would still be thinking about it later. Most likely when he was supposed to be sleeping.

Instinctively, Shikamaru knew now was not the time to analyze the evening. So he just went with the flow. If it felt like a date, then he would treat her like they were on a date. He made it a point to open doors for her and pull out her chair at dinner. And when they were maneuvering through the crowd that stood in the middle of the street to gape at the fireworks, he guided her with his hand on the small of her back, rather than leading her by pulling on her wrist.

And Sakura's reaction to his courtesies only encouraged him to do it more. She smiled at him. A lot. And it wasn't her normal smile, either. It was kind of shy. Appreciative. _Warm_. Not at all like the typical smiles he saw from her. And they were directed at him. Several times that evening, he caught himself staring at her a little too long.

He kept having to remind himself that they weren't really on a date. They were both doing their job, as ordered. If pretending they were out on a date helped to sell the idea that they were married, then so be it. Even if it didn't really feel like he was pretending.

That was the heart of what bothered him. It didn't _feel_ like he was pretending. What happened to make the evening change so drastically? Did buying her roses really have such a strong effect? It seemed unlikely, and yet here he was, thinking about her and the way she smiled at him that evening.

Scratching at the whiskers on his chin, Shikamaru frowned. He didn't have the luxury of time to analyze Haruno Sakura and her peculiar behavior. But he would, later. Right now there was a job to do, even if that job was frustrating him to no end.

More often, Shikamaru found himself wondering if his initial suspicions about Ryozo's scroll wasn't correct. If it had been planted by the enemy, then that would mean that his team was part of an elaborate trap. Since the Akatsuki were interested in the power within Naruto, it was likely that one of the teams the Godaime sent out was being used as a feint. How, exactly, he still wasn't quite sure. But the nagging suspicion refused to die.

Lifting his hands high up over his head, he arched his back and stretched. Then yawned. If she didn't finish up her conversation soon, Shikamaru was going to have to retrieve her. It was already well past midnight and he was anxious to get some sleep.

'_I should have let Sakura ask the front desk for more blankets the night we checked in,_' he thought as his eyes wandered the street. Several other businesses were turning off lights and locking up for the evening. '_My back is starting to hurt from sleeping on the floor._'

A young woman standing outside a small restaurant and struggling with a lock caught his eye. Apron tied around her waist and dark hair pulled back into a ponytail, the woman was obviously just getting off work. She kept trying to turn the key, but the lock was clearly jammed. After the third try, she finally removed the key and inspected the edge for flaws. Finding none, it was immediately pushed into the keyhole and the struggle began anew.

Automatically, the lazy Jounin's eyes went to the waitresses hands. It was impossible to see any detail in the darkness, but for a moment, Shikamaru thought he only counted four fingers on her right hand. Doubting his eyes, he squinted to get a better look when a man quickly walked past, jolting him.

"Ami," the man called as he approached the frustrated waitress. "What are you doing? Let's go."

Hearing the older man's baritone voice, her hands fell to her sides as she turned to face him. Upon seeing her profile, Shikamaru's brows creased as he studied her. Perhaps it was the moonlight, or the way her white apron was tied around her waist, but looking at her, Shikamaru was struck with the impression that she was pregnant. When she shifted her weight, the composition of light and shadow changed around her and she looked normal. There wasn't anything about her belly that suggested pregnancy, but Shikamaru still puzzled over what he thought he saw.

'_Four fingers on her right hand and pregnant? Could she be—?_'

"I'm back," Sakura said, coming up beside him. "Sorry about taking so long."

Shikamaru gave a slow nod, his focus still fixed on the young woman and older man. He looked old enough to be her father, if not her grandfather.

"But it was an interesting conversation," Sakura continued, slowly twirling the tiny bouquet with her thumb and index finger. "She talked about some sort of crime syndicate in town. She only mentioned it in passing, but—"

The young woman, Ami, stepped back to let the older man do what she couldn't. His first attempt to turn the lock ended in failure. He removed the key and immediately saw that it was the wrong one. Ami bowed her head sheepishly when she realized her mistake.

"Hey," Sakura said. "What are you...?" Following his gaze, she whispered, "Is that... _them?_"

The older man finished locking the door and dropped the keys into his pocket. He then prompted the girl to turn around and the two of them began walking away. Shikamaru's eyes went to the sign above the entrance.

'_Gekkani._'

"I don't know," he said. "Maybe."

Sakura stepped forward when the couple turned a corner. "Shouldn't we follow?"

He considered for a moment. Then frowned.

"No," he said, sotto voce. "I didn't get a good enough look at the woman to know if she's a match. No point chasing after them now. Especially at this hour. It would rouse suspicion and that could be troublesome."

She hesitated. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," Shikamaru said, shoving his hands in his pockets and starting toward their hotel. She quickly fell in step beside him. "Looks like we'll be coming back here tomorrow."

Sakura nodded and idly scented one of the roses.

Only a couple of blocks from their hotel, he asked, "Now what's this about a crime syndicate?"


	7. climate change

**dawning**

**.:climate change:.**  
chapter seven

* * *

"The birds are healthy and proceeding as expected," Shino said into the tiny microphone, his words perfectly enunciated. "Over."

Hinata pushed a lock of hair behind her ear and cocked her head to listen. Radio could be intercepted, so Shino used code words as he spoke to their contact back in Konoha. Only able to hear one side of the conversation, Hinata knew instinctively what their contact was asking. He'd been asking the same thing since Shikamaru and Sakura entered the village.

"No, sir, not yet. But the wind is starting to pick up. Over."

The wind. Their possible suspect.

"No, sir. No confirmation yet." Shino cupped his hand around his ear, "We're expecting to hear birdsong later so I can't say right now. Over."

There was a long pause and Shino didn't speak. He was listening. More intently than he ever did before. When he reached for a scrap of paper and began jotting down instructions, both Hinata and Sasuke stopped what they were doing and waited. The situation had changed somehow. They were about to get new orders.

"Yes, sir," Shino said. "I understand. Over."

He made one last note, then put the pencil away.

"Roger that. Understood. Over and out."

With a gentle click, the radio turned off. Shino read over his notes and sighed while Hinata and Sasuke waited.

"When Shikamaru makes contact with us tonight, I am to give him a message," Shino said.

The lack of detail in the Aburame's explanation clearly annoyed Sasuke. He scowled and folded his arms over his chest.

"What's the message?" he asked.

"I'm not sure," Shino said. "It's coded."

"_Coded?_!"

Hinata flinched at the sudden volume of Sasuke's voice. Since they broke camp and began the support phase of their mission, he'd become increasingly agitated and temperamental. It frightened her to a degree, to work with him. He seemed so angry all the time. Moody. And his impatience seemed to bleed into everything. He was angry at Shikamaru and Sakura for not finding the targets right away, he was angry because he had been ordered to be backup and protection for them, he was angry because it was hot in the summer, he was angry at Hinata because she occasionally stuttered, he was angry at Shino because he was an Aburame...

Anything and everything seemed to bother him. To the point where Hinata went out of her way to avoid him. He felt unstable to her. And dangerous. Were it not for Shino's calm, she would feel constantly ill at ease.

"What is the message?" Sasuke asked.

"Rocks were moved," Shino read from his notes, "but nothing was found. The pressure is dropping."

• • •

It felt like it was falling out. Every time Sakura thought she had secured the clip in place, it would eventually shift and her hair would fall into her eyes again. Frustrated, she just wanted to take the stupid thing off and let her hair fall where it may. But she couldn't. The hair clip was meant to do more than push her hair into skewed positions and annoy her. It also concealed a tiny, radio transmitter.

Shikamaru decided that the best time to return to the restaurant was during the nightly fireworks display. That way, he reasoned, they could chat longer with the servers and not have to compete for time with other customers who would most likely be outside enjoying the show.

They were indeed one of the few couples in the restaurant at that late hour. Seated at a booth next to a window, Shikamaru and Sakura sat side-by-side with knees touching and elbows bumping into one another. It felt strange to leave the other side of the booth empty, but it appeared to be the thing to do. Most of the other couples they saw would naturally sit together, rather than face each other. Some were sitting so close they were practically in each other's laps.

Such behavior wasn't an option for Sakura. And she doubted Shikamaru would appreciate it. Still, she sat close to him. Close enough that she felt his leg pressed against hers from hip to knee. It was uncomfortable, for both of them, but she reasoned that their proximity would make it that much easier to talk without being overheard.

Sighing, the medic-nin read the menu over. Gekkani had an atmosphere very similar to the ramen shop Naruto favored back home. The main difference between the two restaurants was the specialty, tempura.

After days of frustration and nights spent wondering if they would ever find their target, fortune finally smiled upon them. The waitress serving them that evening was the young woman Shikamaru saw the night before. She was petite, with dark brown eyes and brown-black hair pulled back into a low ponytail. A few wisps of hair framed her face as she introduced herself to them as 'Ami.' She smiled often, but in a hesitant, almost nervous sort of way. Kind of like the way Hinata smiled when too many eyes were upon her. Ami seemed like a naturally shy person in a position where she was forced to be outgoing. Waitressing didn't really suit her, and yet, it was endearing.

Her maimed right hand was hard to miss. Ami was missing her pinkie. And part of her knuckle on her ring finger. Splotchy pink, red and white scar tissue stood in bright contrast against the surrounding healthy, young skin. The scar was jagged, like torn paper. And when she gripped a pen to take their order, it was clear that whatever wound she once sustained had never healed correctly.

Other than the obvious resemblance she bore to the vague description Ryozo gave them, the next thing Sakura noticed about Ami was her slightly swollen belly. That, paired with the anemic-paleness of her skin was all the evidence Sakura needed.

Their waitress was pregnant. Probably in the first phase of her second trimester.

Confronted with their target, Sakura couldn't help but feel bewildered. She didn't know what to expect when they finally found her, but Sakura never imagined meeting someone like Ami. The girl was too young, too nice, too pretty, too shy... not at all what you would expect to find connected to a group like the Akatsuki.

But then again, the Akatsuki didn't survive this long living up to what people expected them to do.

Neither Shikamaru nor Sakura spoke when Ami left their table. It seemed both Leaf shinobi were busy processing their individual first impressions of the girl. Only after Ami returned to the table with their drinks and then left them alone again did Sakura finally speak up.

"She's pregnant."

Shikamaru nodded. "I thought so. I wasn't sure."

Sakura frowned, whispered, "Don't you think this is strange? She looks like she's barely 16."

"What about her hand?" he asked. "The finger was torn off, right?"

"Probably," Sakura agreed. "It looks like the muscle tissue and bone was ripped out of the socket."

Shikamaru swallowed some of his beverage and grimaced.

"The ring finger is somewhat mangled, too," she continued. "Definite nerve damage. And whomever stitched her up didn't do a very good job."

"Do you think someone did that to her or was it an accident?"

"That's impossible to tell without doing a closer examination." Sakura said after sipping at her drink. "Part of her hand could have been crushed at one time and the tear was self-inflicted in order to escape. I've seen injuries like that before."

"She seems pretty pale, too."

Sakura nodded, "She's probably anemic right now. Considering her condition, her petite size and the fact that she's on her feet all day, it's not that surprising."

Shikamaru began to massage the crook of his neck.

"Other than her injured hand, she seems relatively healthy to me," Sakura concluded, watching the Jounin out of the corners of her eyes. He was rubbing circles into the flesh just above his shoulder blade. It was clear that his neck and back were bothering him, and had been all day. But he didn't complain about it. Which surprised her. Shikamaru seemed like the complaining type.

Or was she just confusing complaining with cynicism and laziness?

'_He deserves it,_' she thought. '_If he wasn't such a chauvinist about the sleeping arrangements he wouldn't be in such pain._'

When he tilted his head to one side and cracked his neck with a loud 'pop!' she spoke up.

"You shouldn't do that. You're just going to make it worse."

"I'm fine," he replied.

Frowning, she shifted beside him but said nothing more.

"That's the same guy from last night," he gestured with a nod.

Sakura eyed the older man. He was heavy set but not fat. His hairline was receding, but he wasn't bald. Yet. She watched him smile and chat with a pair of couples as they dined. With a polite nod, he moved to the next table and the process repeated.

"He moves with authority," she said. "He probably owns the place."

"Mm."

"I thought we were looking for a couple."

"Together they _are_ a couple."

Sakura made a face. "He could be her grandfather."

"They don't look anything alike. I'd be surprised if they were blood-related."

She watched him a few moments longer. "Maybe he's not the other half of the couple we're looking for."

"Maybe," Shikamaru said. "But I doubt it."

"Why?"

"For the same reason you think he owns the place. Look at the way she looks at him," he pointed his chin in their direction. "Submissive."

Sakura nodded as she watched. He was the type of owner that liked to visit with all of his customers. He perused the tables, making it a point to ask each patron how they were enjoying their meal and if they needed anything. Small talk. Most of the couples gave him brief, simple answers as they were far more interested in their dinning partner than their dinning host. And with a friendly smile, the owner would merely incline his head and visit the next table.

Shikamaru never stuck Sakura as the type to easily converse with strangers, but when the circumstances called for it, he was able to deliver. After their meals were served and they had eaten close to half of their portions, the owner decided to pay them a visit. Shikamaru was ready for him. Voice colloquial and expression far more friendly than usual, the lazy Jounin offered the restaurant owner with a bit more conversation than the norm. That morsel was enough to hook him and soon the two were chatting.

"Where are you two from?" the man asked, smiling. He wore a name tag that said 'Kisho.'

"Fire Country."

"Really?" he lifted a brow. "I thought I detected an accent."

Shikamaru sipped his drink.

"What part of the Fire Country?"

"Kasai province."

"That's not too far," Kisho said. "We've had some people come here from as far as the Wave Country. It's amazing the amount of people our little festival draws."

"Hitofuki is a beautiful place," Sakura said.

Kisho's eyes moved over her quickly, but with a measured expression that made Sakura feel like a thing rather than a person. It wasn't a leer. At least, not exactly. But it felt creepy and she knew she didn't like it. Chin held high, she forced herself to not look away.

"And it can be a very profitable village, too," he said, looking at her husband again.

Shikamaru reclined in his seat. "You must get some really good business this time of year then."

"We do," Kisho agreed. "But not nearly as much as some of the casinos and entertainment spots around town. How long have you two known each other?"

Sakura blinked at the sudden change in subject.

"Since childhood," Shikamaru said.

Kisho's eyes lingered on the way they were sitting next to each other. "Really? And where are you two staying?"

"The Izumi Inn."

He smirked. "Honeymoon suite?" Kisho asked, giving Shikamaru a knowing wink.

Without a doubt, Kisho made Sakura uncomfortable. There was something about him. Something... almost foreboding. His body language said that he wasn't lying and she couldn't detect any malevolent intent. Nothing in particular about him stood out. She didn't like his personality, sure, but that didn't make him a bad person.

By all outward appearances, Kisho seemed like a normal business owner. Perhaps too nosy. Maybe even obnoxious, but normal. Still, he bothered her. The way Kisho had looked at her and the submissive way Sakura had seen Ami speaking to him... he just couldn't be trusted.

Shikamaru's hand covering her own distracted Sakura from her thoughts. She felt her cheeks take on a pink tinge as her squad leader confirmed the older man's question with a tone of voice that implied far more than he actually said. He was playing into Kisho's innuendo.

"That's a nice place," Kisho said. "They're one of the sponsors for the nightly fireworks displays. Speaking of which, there's a concert tonight after the display tonight. Are you two going?"

"No, I don't think so," Shikamaru said, squeezing Sakura's hand.

The smirk the older man wore turned impish. He inclined his head toward Sakura and gave her a sidelong look. Once again, she felt like a thing rather than a person.

"You two must have other things to do, eh?"

The medic-nin forced her scowl into a smile. She was positive it looked strained.

"We _are_ newlyweds," Shikamaru said, earning a wide grin from Kisho.

"I don't blame you one bit," he said.

Sakura didn't know who she wanted to hit more. Shikamaru, for playing along so well with Kisho's innuendo, or Kisho for being such pig.

"So, the Fire Country," Kisho said, changing the subject yet again. "Home of the Hidden Village of the Leaf. I understand they have a _female_ kage, of all things."

'_What's that have to do with anything?_' The medic-nin thought, still forcing her lips to stretch into a smile. '_Even Shikamaru doesn't sound that sexist..._'

"Either of you two ever been to Konoha?"

"It's a hidden shinobi village," Shikamaru said, side-stepping the question. "Regular civilians aren't allowed."

"True enough."

Sakura looked at her plate. If she was uncomfortable before, now she felt the distinct sense of dread. His question was innocent enough when taken at face value, but coupled with the measured looks, tone of voice and the overall way he carried himself... it was a bad sign. Sakura couldn't put her finger on it, but she knew what her gut told her.

"O-ojiisan," Ami said, coming up to stand near the restaurant owner. "I'm... I'm sorry, but no one moved that box that was delivered earlier today... and I can't move it on my own..."

Kisho dismissed her with a gesture. "I'll be right there."

Sakura caught a calculating gleam in Shikamaru's eye that was quickly covered up by the half-curl smile of his mouth.

"Do you need any help?"

Kisho hesitated. "No, that's fine. I can take care of it on my own. Ami isn't in any condition to be lifting anything right now."

Politely excusing himself, he left and Sakura sighed in relief.

"That guy is creepy. And you! You went right along with him—"

"Your hair looks better down."

"... eh?"

• • •

Kisho was trying to manipulate them. Shikamaru recognized the signs. He was asking questions to push the conversation in a direction where one of them might slip. He had probably been trained in interrogation and knew how to recognize a lie. Fortunately, the man was not particularly skilled. He simply knew enough to be dangerous.

And the suggestive quality of Kisho's questions were also unsettling. Shikamaru had to wonder if the reason the man asked such questions was because he didn't believe that they were really a couple. If that was the case, then the question about Konoha was particularly troublesome.

'_Is it possible that the Akatsuki knows Konoha sent spies to Hitofuki? Is this a trap..?_'

Brows creasing, Shikamaru's mind filled with possibilities. There was no doubt that Kisho had some sort of connection with something unsavory. Be it the Akatsuki itself or the crime syndicate Sakura mentioned from last night. Either way, before Shikamaru could begin to strategize their situation he had to acquire more information.

Which meant they needed to plant a bug. And they needed a distraction to do it.

"That guy is creepy," Sakura said, disgusted. "And you! You went right along with him—"

"Your hair looks better down."

"... eh?"

"I think you should take that clip out and let your hair down," he repeated the code phrase.

With wide, green eyes, she peered at him and hesitated. When she saw the seriousness of his expression, she reached for the barrette. Her fingers fumbled with the clasp before finally pulling the clip from her hair. Locks previously being pushed away from her face fell forward, obscuring her eyes as the ends tickled her lips.

Too busy with the tiny transmitter in her lap, she didn't bother trying to fix her hair. She pressed her nail into one of the grooves, activating it, but didn't look up in time to see Kisho leaving the kitchen. Nor did she see him make a bee-line toward their table.

Shikamaru saw and reacted without warning. One hand stayed hers, preventing her from fussing with the transmitter in her lap. His other hand gently pushed her hair out of her face. Sakura's expression turned startled when Shikamaru cupped her cheek and tilted her face upwards.

He kissed her. Lips semi-parted and eyes-closed. It wasn't a graceful first meeting, but they fit together. Having the benefit of knowing what he was going to do, Shikamaru could at least try to make what he was doing look natural. Sakura, however, was shocked rigid.

The kiss had to be believable. Or at least believable enough to give them some leverage. Pulling back from her with only scant millimeters between them, Shikamaru stared into flummoxed green eyes.

"He's _watching,_" he whispered, fingers curling into her hair to keep her steady and close. He considered saying something else, apologizing for his brashness or asking her permission to kiss her again, but he acted instead.

The second kiss felt much better than the first. She finally began to relax, allowing their closeness to fit together more snugly. This time he had enough forethought to use his fingers to take the transmitter from her hands. She hesitated for just a moment before catching on to what he was doing. Lips parting to allow their kiss to appear more intimate, she shifted toward him, her feet scraping against the floor. He hadn't expected that. Now she was leaning into him, the soft femininity of her body reminding him in the most primal way that he was kissing an attractive woman. Shikamaru knew what she was doing and why, but his body was feeling too much. It was difficult to think clearly when all he could feel was her chest pressed against his, her lips sucking on his, her hands holding his...

The kiss felt real. _Was_ real. Distracted completely, the transmitter was forgotten. Shikamaru instinctively deepened the kiss.

And she eagerly responded.

"I can see why you're not going to that concert tonight."

The kiss ended suddenly, reluctantly, and they both looked up at Kisho with tense, sheepish expressions.

"I guess you're probably going to want dessert to-go," he continued, smirking. "Sorry to interrupt."

• • •

He had done a troublesome thing. A very troublesome thing.

And it wasn't troublesome because he regretted doing it. Shikamaru couldn't quite bring himself to regret it. He did what he did for good reason. And, it had worked. So he couldn't regret that.

But there was more. There was a whole host of other reasons as to why what he did was so troublesome. The least of which was the fact that now he couldn't get the kiss out of his head. It kept replaying itself, second by second, regardless of how he tried to push the moment out of his mind.

'_What was that back there...?_'

Shikamaru peered out of the darkened window and scowled.

'_Kissing her like that..._'

He saw movement reflected in the glass as Sakura began to prepare for bed. His back was toward her to grant her a little extra privacy, but he still watched her. As she pulled her night clothes from her bag and turned toward the bathroom, his eyes naturally trailed down her figure until he realized what he was doing.

His scowl deepened.

'_What the hell was I thinking?_'

That was the whole problem. He wasn't thinking. He was feeling. A little too much. Even if they were on an undercover mission and had to kiss to sell a concept, he couldn't become distracted by the role. He couldn't let himself get so wrapped up in the moment that he let his guard down.

Shikamaru didn't even know Kisho was standing right _there_ until he spoke. Even though he knew the man was heading toward them. He got so wrapped up in what he was feeling that his awareness narrowed onto her.

It wasn't like him to be so unobservant. And he couldn't really explain why he had acted like that. But it bothered him. And he was bothered, too, by the fact that he continued to think about the events of the evening long after they left the restaurant. It was his nature to put aside troublesome things. This time, for whatever reason, he couldn't.

Sighing, Shikamaru glanced at his watch. It was almost time to check in with Shino and the rest of the team. He was anxious to hear what transmissions they picked up after he and Sakura left the restaurant. He needed something else to think about. Something far less troublesome and female for his over-analytical mind to digest and process.

'_What if Kisho hadn't interrupted us? I wasn't acting anymore..._'

He clenched his jaw.

How could he become so totally distracted? Of all the supremely stupid things for him to do. He knew better. What if there had been an intent to hurt? Or kill? He swore to himself after his very first mission as a Chuunin that he would never fail in his role as squad leader. He would protect his team. He would bring them all home safely. Their lives were his responsibility. By letting his guard down like that, he had endangered not only Sakura and himself, but the entire team and mission as a whole.

'_...and __I wasn't going to stop kissing her. What would she have done..?_'

Shikamaru groaned inwardly.

'_What would she have done..?_'

Of all the questions and emotions clashing together in his mind, it was that thought alone that haunted him the most.


	8. too close

******dawning**

******.:too close:.**  
chapter eight

* * *

They were touching again. Sitting so close together that their knees felt connected. Even the bumping of their shoulders when one shifted their weight or turned to the side was a constant.

In the silence of their closeness, they were still able to communicate. He never once gestured and she never once looked directly at him, but they both knew when the other caught sight of something worthy of notice. In that way, they were in-tune. And in that way, she felt comfortable. So cognizant was Sakura of the shinobi beside her that it was difficult to concentrate on the day's objective and the unbroken contact never allowed her a moment to recover. She could feel his body heat, smell the lingering scent of soap from his morning shower, detect the tension in his shoulders and back, feel the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed...

The physical closeness couldn't be helped. In fact, it would be much better if she was in his lap. That was the only way to be certain that the invisibility genjutsu would work the way it was supposed to. If they both used it at the same time, it would create ripples of chakra between them. The average civilian probably wouldn't know what they were looking at if they saw such an event, but any genin-level shinobi would. With only one perch that was both secure and overlooked Gekkani, the two of them willingly crushed themselves together specifically so Sakura could cover them both.

Maintaining the jutsu wasn't difficult. If there was one thing Sakura was gifted with it was absolute control over her chakra. If she were alone, she could sustain the illusionary jutsu indefinitely. That is, until she needed to sleep. But having to cover Shikamaru as well as herself was a bit more tricky. She had to guess how much chakra she needed to envelope him. Without someone there to reassure her that he was completely hidden, she used up even more chakra to guarantee coverage, no doubt creating waste.

Their closeness helped, but if their target didn't show up within the next few hours, Sakura would exhaust her chakra.

Sighing, she pushed a lock of hair out of her eyes and squinted against the morning sun. Shino's report from last night contained many useful pieces of information, not the least of which was the coded message from Konoha. Sakura was able to figure out most of it, but Shikamaru had to explain the last part. '_The pressure is dropping_' — A reference to weather. The barometric pressure drops just before a storm. They could expect changes. As to what those changes were, neither Shikamaru or Sakura knew, but it was certain that their next orders would be dependent upon what they reported to the Kazekage and Hokage.

"How are you doing?" Shikamaru whispered, his gaze fixed on the street closest to his side.

She shifted her weight. "Fine."

"Mm."

Her eyes moved from one face to another, seeking the familiar features of either Ami or Kisho. No one in particular caught her eye, until she noticed a young man step away from the crowd of people to stand before the front entrance of the restaurant. They watched as he unlocked the door and Sakura theorized that he was one of the cooks and most likely of little importance to their mission.

Stifling a sigh, Sakura returned her gaze to the pedestrian traffic, hoping to catch sight of her target. As seconds bled into minutes, she found her eyes drawn to the window next to the booth that she and Shikamaru sat at the night before. She'd blink and turn her attention elsewhere, but it wasn't long before she was looking at that same window and thinking about things she shouldn't. Especially with the subject of her thoughts crushing himself against her side.

It was with a modicum of relief when Sakura caught sight of Kisho coming toward the restaurant. He was walking beside a man several years his junior and conversing with him. When they both stopped in front of the restaurant, she recognized the younger man as one of the waiters and dismissed him. When they both disappeared inside the restaurant, Sakura was once again nagged by her thoughts.

Fidgeting with the ring around her finger, she frowned. It was her own fault for letting it get to her like this. The night Shikamaru bought her flowers, she blanketed herself in the warmth of the moment. As the evening went on and he made it a point to open doors for her, pull out her chair, offer her his vest when she was cold, compliment her hair, talk to her about subjects that were actually interesting and then take an interest in what she had to say...

She relished it. All of it.

The more she thought about her feelings and reactions to Shikamaru's behavior, the more she began to realize just how lonely she really was. Everything Shikamaru had been doing for her was exactly what she wanted from Sasuke. After having experienced it she was beginning to realize just how foolish she had been, how needy her loneliness had made her. Particularly on the night she ended up sleeping with him.

It had been near overwhelming, the way Sasuke had kissed her. Powerful and demanding, she felt pressured to submit to his will and desire. Sakura had interpreted the fierceness of his lips as a confession for his affection for her, as an unspoken declaration of love. He had wanted her, all of her, and she gave herself to him because it would make him happy. The coldness of his actions and words the following morning cut her more deeply than the night he left to join the Sound. She was willing to give everything to him and he gave her nothing in return.

Shikamaru's kiss was different. Much different. It was such a shock to begin with that Sakura didn't know what to think when he kissed her the first time. Then he kissed her again and it almost felt like a question. Albeit a very direct and near-insistent question. The way his lips meshed with hers, soft yet firm, seeking but not demanding. It felt like he was asking, '_Is this okay? Are you okay? Can I continue..?_' And without thinking she automatically responded '_Yes_' each time.

Only when she leaned into him and he deepened the kiss did she get a real taste of his desire. And that excited her.

It was possible, she reasoned, that she had imagined it. As depressing as it was to admit, her time with Shikamaru was forcing her to confront some truths that she previously didn't wish to entertain. With the realization of her loneliness, coupled with Sasuke's rejection and her own regrets, it was likely that she was simply looking for reassurance where there was none to be found.

Still, the nagging doubt remained. There was something in that kiss, something real, and she couldn't help but wonder if he felt it, too.

"There she is," Shikamaru whispered.

Her thoughts interrupted, Sakura cleared her mind as she peered down the street. Sure enough, it was Ami. Both unconsciously tensed as they watched her approach the restaurant. A moment later, she disappeared inside.

Sakura sighed and shifted her weight. Their wait for an opportunity to confront the girl would continue and she was already starting to feel tired.

"How much longer can you maintain this jutsu?" Shikamaru asked.

She frowned as she assessed her chakra reserves. "Probably another two hours, safely. After that there's a chance the illusion will begin to ripple around the edges."

His brows knit together as he considered the situation. After a moment he said, "This is silly. You should sit directly in front of me."

The image that flashed in her mind was of her sitting in his lap. After spending most of last night and the morning thinking about their kiss, the blush that colored her cheeks couldn't be stopped.

"No!" She flinched at her defensive response before sputtering, "I- I mean, I don't think that's necessary. I'm okay."

He glanced at her long enough to send her a scowl. It was clear that he understood the reason for her protest, but he wasn't thinking in terms of propriety. He was thinking in terms of efficiency and logic.

"There's less area to cover if we occupy the same general area," he said without looking at her. "You're better at molding chakra for genjutsu than I am so this is the most logical solution to prevent you from becoming exhausted."

"Yeah, but..."

"But what?"

Sakura couldn't argue with his point, but she couldn't bring herself to crawl into his lap, either. As her mind rushed to think of a good excuse, Shikamaru moved.

"Wait! What are you—"

He tsked at her, but didn't stop scooting near her. When he was behind her with his legs outstretched on either side of her, he tugged on her shoulder, encouraging her to lean back, into his chest. She did so, but only because she knew it would be pointless to argue.

"Less area to cover now, right?" he asked. "Which makes it less troublesome for you."

She nodded mutely, eyes staring straight ahead and cheeks uncomfortably warm. He was supporting her entire upper body, allowing her to use him like a chair. After sitting in one spot for so long and molding her chakra around them both, it did feel good to concentrate on a smaller area and lean backward. She couldn't quite bring herself to relax against him, though. At least, not yet, but she was sorely tempted to. She suspected that she soon would, after she got over the unease of sitting in his lap and became accustomed to the feel of him.

"Let me know when you start to get tired," he said, voice completely professional in tone. "We might be here a while."

• • •

The girl was leaving. Finally.

Bulky cloth bag slung over her shoulder, Ami walked out of the restaurant and began heading down the street. Alone. No words were needed as both leaf-nin slowly moved from their positions to follow. It didn't take long to catch up to her, but they hung back, observing. It didn't appear that Ami was on her way to meet with anyone because she didn't seem to be in any particular hurry. In fact, she was rather easily detoured. Occasionally she would slow her pace to look at the various goods being sold by the street vendors or peer into the windows of stores. Ami's meandering provided them ample opportunity to make a 'chance' appearance.

As Ami paused to eye some jewelry being offered for sale, Shikamaru gripped Sakura's arm.

"Make contact with her alone," he said, voice low and intense. "I'll be close by."

Sakura nodded once and quickly moved to intercept the girl. When Ami turned to resume her journey, the kunoichi stepped forward and clipped the girl's shoulder. She gave a startled 'eep!' as the bag she was carrying fell to the ground.

"Oh!" Sakura said, bending to retrieve the item. "I'm sorry! Are you hurt?" She made eye contact with Ami and put on her best surprised expression. The young woman mirrored it sincerely. "You're the waitress from last night, right?"

Ami smoothed a few strands of dark hair away from her face. Her features lifted into a hesitant smile, then she gave a slight nod.

"Are you okay?" Sakura asked again, still holding the girl's bag. "I wasn't watching where I was going."

"That's... o- okay," Ami said. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Mm."

Sakura gave the bag a subtle squeeze. It felt like an over-stuffed pillow. She suspected there was laundry in it. Possibly table linens, napkins and the like. And the weight felt right for a bag that size to be filled with such items... but it was still strange. Usually restaurants washed their linens on the premises.

That is, assuming it was really laundry in the bag.

Still, it wasn't suspicious enough for Sakura to pour too much of her attention into. The only way she could know what the girl was transporting was if she pulled open the bag and looked, but doing so would ruin the moment. Sakura only had a precious few moments to speak to the girl. She had to make the time count, even if it meant being so forthright as to be rude.

Tilting her head to peer at the young woman, Sakura offered a disarming smile. "Well, I'm glad I didn't hurt you," she said, still hugging the bag. If she gave it back, Ami would have an excuse to leave. "I'm sorry I startled you like that though. I know that isn't good for women in your condition."

A blush rose on Ami's cheeks.

"How far along are you?" Sakura asked, still smiling.

Ami quickly glanced down at herself. "I'm due in ten weeks," she said, voice shy.

'_She is further along than I suspected. Considering her size, she should be showing a lot more. Fetus underweight..?_'

"Really?" the kunoichi forced a cheerful-looking smile. "Then you're due just before the fall."

She eyed the bag in Sakura's hands. "Mm."

"Have you thought of any names yet?"

The girl's expression became strained. Sakura scrutinized her features, seeking out the tell-tale signs of deceit and anxiety, but could only sense fear. Discomfort. Not terror. Not exactly... but real fear.

'_Worry?_'

"I'm not... I mean, I haven't..." Ami smiled nervously, "N-no."

'_Strange answer._'

"If it's a boy, you could always name it after the father," Sakura suggested.

Ami's uneasy expression turned pale. A knot of dread formed in Sakura's belly as she observed the girl. She almost seemed to shrink at the mention of the baby's father. The submissive reverence she showed to Kisho was nothing compared to how withdrawn she suddenly became. It was almost like mentioning the father was a forbidden subject.

Clenching her jaw, Sakura knew what she had to do.

"I take it you don't like that idea?" the medic-nin asked innocently, trying to lighten the mood without changing the subject. "Does he have a funny name?"

"N-no..." she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear as her gaze began to wander and search. It was obvious that she was looking for a way to escape the conversation, but she was simply too kind-hearted and polite to simply demand the bag of laundry and go about her business. That realization alone made Sakura feel like a supreme jerk for pressing her for details about something that was so clearly painful for her to speak of. "He's just... not around."

"He isn't? Is he from another village?" Sakura asked, then, leaning toward the girl she added in a low voice, "Or did your grandfather not approve of him?"

Ami's mouth opened and closed soundlessly as she tried to think of how to answer the question. "That's not... no," she finally managed. "He just... he travels a lot. He'll be back. When the baby is born."

Sakura eyed the girl's body language critically. Ami was too naive to lie effectively, but neither was she being forthcoming. The girl knew more than she let on.

"That's too bad," the medic said. "Pregnancy is a special time, too. Especially your first."

"It's not..." Her words trailed off into silence as mangled fingers pulled at the hem of her shirt, reflecting her unease.

The unfinished statement left Sakura to wonder what she had intended to say, the implications creating a sick flutter of worry in her gut. '_It's not my first pregnancy? It's not my first child? It's not... what?_'

Before she had a chance to carefully ask the young mother-to-be what she was going to say, Ami found her voice again.

"Could I have my bag back?" she asked, tone strained and almost pleading. "Please?"

Sakura hesitated, trying to think of something else — _anything_ else — to prolong the conversation. That was no small thing just now. The girl had stopped herself before admitting too much, but what she said sounded like a whispered cry for help in Sakura's ears. To push the subject would only cause Ami more pain and it was clear that the girl was becoming increasingly agitated the longer they stood on the street corner together. Pity welled up within Sakura and she felt the sudden urge to apologize to the girl when she heard Shikamaru's voice come up behind her. She knew at once that Kisho was nearby.

"There you are," he said. "Figures I'd find you looking at jewelry."

Forcing an embarrassed laugh, Sakura rubbed the back of her head. "Yeah, something shiny caught my eye. Sorry... _ honey._"

He nodded toward Ami. "Hello."

"... hello."

Sakura no sooner felt Shikamaru's fingers curl around her hand then she saw Kisho out of the corner of her eye. He was heading toward them, a stern look hardening his features. Not once did he spare the two Leaf-nin a glance. His focus was narrowed on Ami alone.

"You have someplace you need to be," he said.

She bowed her head, expression cringing.

"It's my fault," Sakura said. "I walked into her and almost knocked her over." Sheepishly, she offered Ami her bag back. "Again, I'm sorry."

Before Ami could take the item from her, Kisho grabbed it away.

"I'm sure it was her fault for walking into you," he said.

"No, really—"

Kisho ignored the pink-haired kunoichi. Turning his eyes toward Ami, he ordered, "Apologize to her."

"I-I'm sorry," the young woman said automatically.

Kisho gave a slight nod of approval, "Good." He glanced at Leaf-nins, "Now, if you'll excuse us?"

Shikamaru and Sakura barely had a chance to reply before both Kisho and Ami turned and walked away.

• • •

"Was she lying?"

Sakura frowned. "She told some half-truths," she said, plopping herself down on the corner of the bed. "But she wasn't trying to be outright deceitful. She is hiding something, though. There's no doubt about it. You were watching. You saw her body language, right?"

"Mm." Gazing out the window, Shikamaru frowned, "And they were in a hurry, too."

"Kisho was, at least."

"But Ami wasn't. At least not until he arrived."

"No," Sakura corrected, eyes downcast and expression thoughtful. "She wanted to leave after I started asking her about the father of her baby."

Though he wasn't looking directly at her, Shikamaru was very aware of Sakura. The way she pursed her lips as she mused and the movement of her hand as she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear did not escape his notice. Only when her eyes moved toward him did he look away.

"Do you think I got her in trouble?" Sakura asked, her concern evident.

"I suspect it isn't often when Ami isn't in trouble with Kisho," he said, pushing his hands into his pockets as he leaned against the wall directly across from where she sat. "I'm sure he is abusive toward her."

Sakura's gaze became troubled. "He might have been the one to do that to her hand," she whispered.

"He might have been the one to get her pregnant."

The medic-nin clenched her jaw and looked down at her hands in her lap, but said nothing more.

Sighing, Shikamaru cracked his neck once, than twice. The sounds redirected Sakura's attention upon him. The feeling of her scrutiny caused him to scowl without thinking. When her gaze lingered longer than expected, he wondered at the thoughts filling her brain.

The mood of the day had been particularly troublesome, which was exactly what he expected after their kiss the night before. It was tiring to pretend that there was no tension between them, but to discuss it would be both inappropriate and counter-productive. For now, he would have to continue the game of '_let's pretend we didn't almost make-out last night_' until he decided to broach the subject.

'If _I decide to broach the subject..._'

"Kisho's influence not withstanding, what was your impression of Ami when you spoke to her?" Shikamaru asked.

"I think she's a victim," Sakura said, voice soft. "I think she's been a victim for years."

He gave a faint nod. That was his impression, too. "What did she say about the baby's father?" he asked.

"Nothing, but her entire demeanor changed when I mentioned him," she said. "She became withdrawn and distressed. I tried to get her to say the name of the father by asking if she had come up with any names for the infant yet and she hadn't come up with any. I thought that was strange."

Sakura ran a hand through her hair and Shikamaru could tell there was a lot more about her conversation with the girl that bothered her. He sat quietly, waiting for her to gather her thoughts and share them with him.

"I don't think..." she paused, clenching her jaw as she considered her next words, "I don't think this is her first pregnancy."

That got his attention. Shikamaru had his suspicions about Ami and her baby, but now he needed to know exactly what the girl said to make Sakura think such a thing. "What did she say?"

Sakura rubbed her palms against the tops of her thighs and sighed. "I was trying to push her to admit something about the baby's father," she began. "And this entire time I'm talking to her, she is acting really distant and almost scared, but I kept pushing. I said that it was a shame that the father wasn't around for the pregnancy because it's a special time, especially the first time. And then she whispered, 'It's not.'"

When she didn't immediately continue, Shikamaru quirked an eyebrow at her. Sakura immediately caught on to his unspoken question.

"She trailed off," she said. "I know she meant to say more. I could tell by the way she stopped herself from finishing the sentence."

"So you can't be sure what she meant to say."

"I... well..." Sakura gave a frustrated sigh, "Look, I know what my instinct tells me and it says that we need to do something to help this girl. Something is really wrong here. She needs help!"

"Sakura," he said, voice unusually gentle, "this mission isn't about Ami. It's about the Akatsuki. It's about ultimately protecting Naruto and Konoha. Remember that."

Jaw clenched and expression strained, Sakura bit out, "I know that."

'_And now I've pissed her off,_' he thought, watching her as she crossed her arms over her chest and looked away from him. '_Great._'

"I know you know that," he said, trying to diffuse her ire while still getting her to see the situation from his point-of-view. "And I agree with you. Something is really wrong here, but Ami is one piece of a larger puzzle. What happened to her, or is happening to her now, is what we need to figure out because—"

"Because the mission is about the Akatsuki and not Ami," Sakura finished with a sigh. "You... you're right. I'm sorry. I just... she's just a civilian." She paused, peering at him with bright, green eyes that implored him to understand why she felt so unusually protective of a girl she barely knew. "It just kills me to think of someone doing something like that. Especially to a person who has no chance to defend themselves."

"You think she was raped."

Sakura clenched her jaw and gave a single, jerky nod. He thought so, too.

"Do you think it was Kisho?" he asked.

"No."

That was not the answer he expected. "Why not?"

"I think it's possible that he did," she said. "But I think Kisho acts far too proud of that fact that she is pregnant to be the one to have actually done it to her. He may have set up the circumstances for it, but I don't believe he actually did the deed."

"Why do you say that?"

"It's just a gut feeling," Sakura said with a shrug. "There's something about him that doesn't feel right and he's definitely a misogynist, but that doesn't automatically mean he's a rapist. If anything, I think he would put a woman in a position to be raped and not think anything of it."

Shikamaru quirked an eyebrow at her. "You're thinking human trafficking."

"I'm thinking he is controlling and sexist. I'm thinking he's probably abusive. I don't know if he is involved in human trafficking."

"But it's an interesting theory," he said. "It would make sense to a certain degree. I see two holes in the idea, the first being that prostitution is legal in Hitofuki. If the Akatsuki needed a pregnant woman for whatever their plan is I have little doubt that they could easily find a young prostitute who experienced a bit of contraceptive failure. With enough money they might be able to convince that young woman to cooperate with them."

Sakura nodded, "The second hole is a jinchuriki is a weapon."

"Exactly," he agreed. "And civilians aren't exactly known for producing offspring suited to being a shinobi, let alone a jinchuriki."

"She was chosen."

"Yes."_  
_

Sakura sighed, "We need to learn more about her and her family. Several shinobi clans disguised themselves as civilians after the last Shinobi war. She could be a descendant of one of those clans."

The shadow user nodded, but said nothing.

"What I don't understand is why Ryozo didn't mention the pregnancy in his scroll," Sakura said. "She's well into her sixth month."

"He should have heard about it," he said as he rubbed the back of his head. "Or at least had some suspicion."

"You'd think, right?"

Both fell into another contemplative silence. After a few moments, Sakura quietly excused herself to use the bathroom leaving Shikamaru alone with his thoughts. The more he learned about their mission, the more unnerved he felt. He could deal with trying to sort out half-truths and misinformation, but the notion of forcing a young woman - a _girl_ - to birth a weapon disturbed him to no end. The mission was so much easier to deal with when he had first assumed that they would be looking for a pair of shinobi operatives working with Akatsuki instead of some domineering sexist and a scared 16-year-old girl.

Still, he couldn't shake his original impression of the entire situation. The scroll being found so quickly, so easily, was just too convenient.

'_The scroll makes the least amount of sense. If it was a plant, the question becomes what the motive was behind leaving it for us to find. Political disharmony would certainly occur, but that would have happened if the scroll had been left for the Sand. In fact, it would have happened faster had a Sand-nin had found it first. The Kazekage bears a very personal grudge toward the Akatsuki...'_

Shikamaru straightened his posture and rotated his shoulder.

_'This is troublesome. If the scroll isn't a ruse, it must be a lure._'

Digging his fingers into the flesh just above his shoulder blade, he rubbed circles into the spot.

'_Kakashi's team didn't find anything in the Earth Country nor did they have any run-ins with the Akatsuki, but they did have a minor confrontation with some Stone-nins. If Kakashi's team was detected in the Earth country, and it eventually will, the Godaime will have to explain why they killed some of their Stone-nins. She will be pressured to share information with them, which might expose some of our operatives..._'

He sighed, '_Sakura is right. Why didn't Ryozo mention the pregnancy..? Hell, what if the scroll wasn't a ruse or a lure at all..._'

He flinched when he rubbed an especially sore spot too hard.

'_First, we need to confirm our main suspicion. We need Hinata to look_—'

"I see that your back is hurting you again," Sakura said. So focused on his thoughts that he hadn't even noticed when she returned from the bathroom. Face freshly washed and arms crossed over her chest, she peered at him with an expression that seemed both concerned and displeased.

"I'm fine."

Her expression turned doubtful. "You're not," she said. "I know sleeping on the floor is hurting your back. You haven't exactly been hiding the symptoms."

"My back's just a bit stiff. That's all. It's not the first time and won't be the last," he shrugged. "It's not your concern. I'll live."

She opened her mouth to speak, but thought better of it. Jaw clenched and lips turned downward into a frown, she showed him her profile. Sakura was suddenly annoyed with him and this time he had no idea why. He was tempted to ask, but pushed the troublesome thought from his mind. He had already spent far too much time and energy pondering the pink-haired kunoichi and it was time to stop. With a deep sigh, he put his hands on his hips and leaned backward, stretching the muscles in his back in an effort to loosen the tightness. His back cracked once, then twice before he sucked in a breath between clenched teeth with a pained hiss.

He felt her eyes upon him before he turned toward her. The feeling wasn't that unlike the sensation of an impending lecture delivered by an angry mother. Brows creased and lips turned downward in a scowl, he turned to see Sakura scrutinizing him intently. The look in her eyes was more sagacious than annoyed, but he could definitely see an '_I told you so_' quip in her eyes. That, in and of itself, made his scowl darken. He opened his mouth to tell her not to waste her time nagging him when he identified a depth in her countenance that gave him pause. She was looking at him in a way that only a kunoichi trained in the medical arts could.

It was very unnerving.

"What?" he asked.

"Take off your shirt."

"_What?_"

Sakura stood and moved toward him. "Take off your shirt and lay on the bed. Face down."

"Why?"

"Because you have no idea how to relieve back pain and you're probably making whatever is causing you pain worse by doing stupid things like cracking your neck and back." She pointed her chin toward the bed, "Now take off your shirt and lay on the bed. Face down."

He still hesitated.

"Don't make me pull rank as a medic-nin here," she said. "I have the authority."

With a grunt, he did as he was told. Shirtless, he laid on the bed, his head supported by his arms and turned to the side to watch Sakura. She was already performing hand seals when she approached him. A moment later, her hands were pressed against his back.

Instantly, he felt the tingle of her chakra mingling with his own. Goosebumps rose on his arms as a feeling of warmth spread out from her palms and across his back and neck. Within seconds, the ache that haunted him over the last few days began to recede, leaving a comforting sensation that seemed to stretch all the way down to his toes.

"The pain doesn't appear to be the result of an old injury," she noted under her breath. He knew by her tone that she was talking more to herself than to him.

"I could have told you that."

"I doubt it," she said. "You didn't even want to admit you were in pain."

He grunted and her hands moved lower on his spine.

"This is a mix of stress and physical strain," she continued. "You're the type who tends to internalize stress by ignoring it. Tension usually goes straight to your shoulders, right? And you're an occasional insomniac, too. That certainly doesn't help."

"You got all that just from touching my back?" he asked skeptically.

"You're not the only one here with the great observation skills."

He grunted. "Well, you're wrong about the insomnia."

"No, I'm not."

He lifted his head to look at her. "Yes, you are. I sleep fine."

She scoffed. "You haven't been sleeping well since we got here."

"Are you watching me sleep, Sakura?"

"I wouldn't waste my time doing something so troublesome," she said, throwing his favorite expression back at him. "Why would I need to do that when I can hear you tossing and turning all night long? You did it all night last night." She moved her thumbs another inch down his spine, "Besides, I suspect you're like every other 'problem solver' I've ever treated. Regardless of how tired you feel, you can't get your brain to slow down enough to fall asleep when you have some kind of puzzle or riddle that needs to be figured out. For as lazy as you act, your brain is always looking for the next problem to solve. Insomnia is an all too-common problem for people like you."

He heard her make an amused snort and he imagined she was smirking at his expense. As she applied a little extra pressure to a particular knot of tension between his shoulder blades she said, "That's probably why you laze about every chance you get back home, right? The guy who used to fall asleep in class as a little kid can't sleep through the night as an adult. Ironic."

He scowled,"You over generalize."

"Probably," she agreed.

"I sleep fine at home," he said.

"Mm."

"On missions... not so much."

"Mm-hm."

"But you still over generalized."

"Of course," she said, her hands moving lower still. Almost to the small of his back.

"What are you still doing?" he asked. "My pain is gone."

"It's only being buffered. I haven't healed you yet."

"Then what are you doing?"

"Why don't you just relax and let me work?" she asked instead.

"I'm just curious."

She sighed, "I want to get a mental picture of how chakra flows through your body before I start to heal you."

"It seems to take you a long time to do that_._"

A pair of thumbnails jabbed his spine in reply.

"_Hey!_ Ouch!"

He heard her amused snort and scowled.

"And you have a great bedside manner, too," he grumbled.

"I learned from the best."

"... troublesome woman..."

Sakura pressed her thumbs into his back a little harder, but not enough to cause pain. Shikamaru took the hint and wisely remained quiet.

"The only time you've ever been healed by a medic-nin is while on a mission, right?"

He grunted.

"Medic-nin's don't have time to understand their patient's body in the middle of a battlefield," she said. "They just diagnose the immediate problem and heal it so the shinobi can either return to battle or survive the trip home. What I am going to do is not only heal you, but try to encourage more of your chakra to naturally flow to the problem areas so you don't have pain like this again. I'm trying to feel how your chakra moves along your spine and how it responds to my chakra before I begin. I'm nearly done."

He pressed his lips together.

"I'm trying to do you a favor, Shikamaru."

"Thanks," he murmured.

She sighed and moved her thumbs down another inch. "This would work a lot faster if you would relax and shut-up."

He scowled.

"That's not 'relaxing,'" she drawled.

"Nagging me doesn't help."

She huffed, then a second later the pressure on his back began to lesson. He breathed deeply, allowing his muscles to finally become malleable. He felt a gentle swell of her chakra at the pressure point at the top of his lumbar vertebrae, then her hands returned to the nape of his neck.

"Okay," she said, "this will probably make you feel drowsy. If you want to nod off, go ahead."

"I won't nod off."

Without a word, Sakura pressed her thumbs against his cervical vertebrae and Shikamaru immediately felt a flood of chakra swirl down his spine. The strangeness of the sensation made his hair stand on end and caused him to suddenly tense.

"Don't fight it," she whispered. "Just relax."

He did as he was told and the strangeness ebbed into comfort. Whatever she did with her chakra, he was starting to feel heavy. It seemed every muscle in his body was saturated in a tingling warmth. He suddenly felt very drowsy, but he stubbornly refused to let himself fall asleep. With a deep breath, he concentrated on the feel of Sakura's fingers gently kneaded his flesh, loosening tendons and unwinding nerves as her chakra steadily pulsed throughout his body.

It felt nice, having so much attention doted on him. Normally he didn't like being noticed. Not that he was shy, but being the center of attention always led to something troublesome. Either conversation he found to be boring or expectations he felt too unmotivated to fulfill. He didn't mind being ignored. It gave him the freedom to do as he wished without being nagged or pestered.

But this attention he liked. A lot.

"I thought you weren't going to nod off," Sakura said, a smile in her voice.

A half-hearted scowl creased his brows. "I'm not," he mumbled.

"If you say so."

Her hands continued their slow journey across his back, her fingertips pressing and massaging various pressure points along the way. She was healing him, he told himself. This wasn't a massage, regardless of how much it felt like one. She was simply treating a painful and annoying aliment, nothing more.

Even so, he felt like the damn luckiest patient on the planet at that moment.

'_I shouldn't let her do this,'_ a guilty voice of reason whispered through his mind. _'Even if she is healing me. I'm enjoying this way too much. I need to think of a reason to tell her to stop without making things... weird._'

But his normally fertile mind didn't produce any believable excuses. And his body was more than content to remain passive under her supple hands.

'_May as well just let her do what she thinks needs to be done. Less troublesome that way._'

Sighing, he decided to let himself enjoy the massage. For once in his life he liked the bossiness of a troublesome woman. And damn, she was good.

Fingertips trailing over his shoulder blade, the pressure on his back suddenly changed. In one fluid motion, Sakura shifted her weight and drew closer to him, her bare thighs touching his bare waist. Using the extra leverage, she put more direct pressure on his upper back, infusing her chakra into deep muscle. It was intoxicating. Her nearness, her scent, the softness of her skin, the intimacy of the position... everything... he was completely distracted and focused on her. Again. His body responded instinctively. The urge to turn over, pull her on top of him and finish what he started the night before zigzagged up his spine. The sudden dose of lust caused once loosened muscle to constrict and his heart to quicken.

'_This has to stop,_' he thought suddenly, feeling embarrassed and angry at himself. '_This isn't the time or the place and she has no interest..._'

Sakura felt the tension immediately. "What's wrong?"

• • •

She worried for a moment that she had poured too much of her chakra into him. He was tranquil. So tranquil that Sakura was impressed that he was still awake. If there was one thing Shikamaru had talent in it was relaxing. Why he resisted it for so long was a mystery to her. But seeing him now... it was almost comical. From his shoulders down to his toes, Sakura could feel the pliability of his musculature. With her chakra so thoroughly soaking into his flesh, she could even sense his biorhythms. So when his heart suddenly quickened and his muscles tightened, she was immediately concerned.

"What's wrong?"

A tendon in his shoulder jumped, tensed for a moment, then stilled. Taking a deep breath, his muscles settled again and his heart began to resume its normal pace. Sakura wondered at him, but didn't question him further.

Then, he sighed.

"Could you stop now... please?"

Her hands stuttered. "I'm not done yet."

His shoulders tensed. Sakura frowned.

"What's wrong? Am I hurting you?" she asked, already knowing that she wasn't.

"No."

Shifting her weight, she created more space between them. Neither moved and an uncomfortable stillness settled around them. Now that she was no longer healing him, the room felt very small. Confined.

"Sakura."

"Hm?"

"I'm sorry about last night," he said, voice low and back still turned toward her.

Sakura very suddenly had an inkling as to why he wanted her off of him and she felt her cheeks darken even more.

"I should have warned you better."

Clearing her throat, she forced her voice to sound as completely professional as possible. "It's part of the mission. There's no reason to warn me."

"I put you on the spot—"

"I'm a kunoichi."

Lifting his head, he turned his face toward her and looked at her out of the corners of his eyes.

"That Kisho jerk believed the kiss was real, right?" she continued, avoiding his eyes. "And we were able to do what needed to be done. So there's nothing to apologize—"

"Kisho believed the kiss was real because it was real."

Sakura blinked, expression frozen.

"I'm apologizing because I overstepped my bounds," he said, turning to face her completely. "Regardless of the mission parameters, I am still your squad leader. When I kissed you the second time, I wasn't acting. And I became completely distracted by it. I shouldn't have let that happen. That's what I'm apologizing for."

His eyes were so focused on her that she felt thin under his gaze, like he could see right into her. Heart quickening to the pace it kept when Shikamaru first kissed her the night before, Sakura was taken aback by the feeling of dread forming in the pit of her stomach. Although much more pale, it was the same shade of dread that colored her world the morning she woke up in Sasuke's bed.

"Do you understand what I'm saying?" he asked.

"You regret—"

"No," he clenched his jaw and looked away. "... _Yes_."

Sakura watched him as his scowl turned dark and frustrated. Then he sighed.

"Troublesome things like this shouldn't be dealt with during a mission. Just... forget about it."

He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood.

"Forget about what?" she asked. "What... what are you trying to say?"

He reached for his shirt.

"Sh-shikamaru..."

Still not looking at her, he pulled his shirt over his head.

"Thank you for healing me," he said, sotto voce.

Questions swirled in her mind, each one demanding a chance to be heard. Still thrown off guard by his apology and subsequent confession, she couldn't quite manage to get her voice to work. Shikamaru seemed to sense this and took advantage of it.

"I need to contact the rest of the team," he said, moving toward the other side of the room to put as much distance between them as possible. "I have a job for Hinata tomorrow."


	9. suspire

**dawning**

**.:suspire:.**  
chapter nine

* * *

Expression growing increasingly severe, Shikamaru sat on the edge of the bed as he listened to Shino's report. His deadpan voice was clear and discernible above the occasional scratchiness of radio static, but the squad leader still didn't want to believe what he was hearing. Rubbing his brow, he breathed a deep, tired sigh.

"When did this happen? Over."

"Seven hours and twenty-three minutes ago," Shino said. "Over."

The muscles in Shikamaru's jaw jumped and clenched. Seven hours ago, he and Sakura were perched on a roof overlooking Gekkani. Five and a half hours ago, he and Sakura made contact with their targets. And one of them, Kisho, had been acting distinctly curt and hurried at the time.

'_Shit._'

The transmitter wasn't expected to work for very long. The battery, under ideal circumstances, was designed to last for a little over 24 hours. After that, it simply faded out and became inert. So it didn't surprise anyone when it stopped sending a signal. What was surprising was the fact that it suddenly turned on again.

It wasn't supposed to turn on again. The only way it could be activated was if someone purposely reset it. Which meant you had to jam your fingernail in one particular groove and then turn the thing over and jam your fingernail in another groove to push a switch. Or, if the battery were dead, you had to know how to take the thing apart, replace the battery and then reset it. Either case, it was impossible for it to start broadcasting on its own. Someone had to have found it and then known how to activate it.

'_Why can't I be assigned easy missions anymore?'_ Shikamaru asked himself. _'Why do I always get the troublesome ones?_'

Jaw clenched, eyes closed and head dipped forward, Shikamaru sucked in a deep breath through his nose and tried to force his muscles to relax. He could feel a knot of tension beginning to form between his shoulder blades, in the exact spot where Sakura had been healing him not more than an hour ago. The cynic in him smirked at the irony of it. Didn't she say she was going to try to get his chakra to naturally flow into the troublesome areas just so he wouldn't experience this kind of pain again?

'_I should have just kept my mouth shut and let her finish,_' he thought as his eyes naturally sought her out. Leaning against the wall on the other side of the room with her arms folded over her chest, she stared at the wood floor. Though she wasn't looking at him, he knew she was still paying attention to his half of the conversation.

"How long did the signal last?" Shikamaru asked, watching her. "Over."

"Only a few seconds. Our equipment blinked. We checked our end for the trouble, but everything here is fine. The transmitter was definitely sending. Over."

He was still uncomfortable with the knowledge that a signal was sent at all, but Shikamaru didn't feel quite as troubled anymore. It was within the realm of possibility that the tiny transmitter simply had a short. Which seemed likely given the fact that seven hours had passed since the gadget had been noticed and nothing unusual had happened.

Yet.

Fortunately, tomorrow was the last day of the 'Romance Festival' and their last day in Hitofuki. After that, they were expected to make contact with the Sand. If Shikamaru felt that the team was in trouble, he would order them to leave sooner, and the team knew that.

Rubbing the back of his head, he sighed. "Okay, listen up," Shikamaru said, catching Sakura's eye. "Your departure time has not changed, but ours has. We will meet you on the road before the rendezvous. But for tomorrow evening, I need eyes. Over."

"Roger."

Adjusting the microphone and earpiece, Shikamaru relayed carefully coded instructions to Shino. It was important that Hinata look at Gekkani, Kisho and Ami. With her Byakugan, she would be able to see what he could not. Whatever additional information she could provide would hopefully help him get better insight into what was going on. Unfortunately, there was only one safe opportunity for her to do it. And the timing of that opportunity made it impossible for them to allow Hinata to get a second look if their targets failed to make an appearance.

When the conversation was over and the radio switched off, Shikamaru let himself fall backward onto the bed with an exasperated sigh. He felt the weight of Sakura's stare upon him and frowned. She'd been keeping her distance from him since he apologized for kissing her. In fact, she seemed downright angry at him, which boggled his mind. He was only telling the truth. He had acted inappropriately and there were consequences when that happened on a mission. He was simply trying to be ethical, for both of their sakes. One would think she'd appreciate his forthrightness, but she was reacting in the exact opposite way he expected. She was avoiding him, even to the point of not wanting to be within a few feet of him.

That bothered him, more than he cared to admit.

"What's going on?"

"The transmitter suddenly turned on this morning," he said, tone jaded. "While we were watching the restaurant no less."

"Did they hear anything?"

"No. The signal only lasted a few seconds."

"A short?" she asked.

"I think so. If we've been found out I'm sure we would have seen something by now, but one can never be too sure."

She nodded, paused. "What do you expect Hinata to see tomorrow?"

"You already know," he said.

"Is that even possible?" she asked. "To create a jinchuuriki so early? I always thought it had to be closer to the time of birth before attempting to do such a thing."

"I have no idea, but I want her to look anyway."

She paused, considering. "Wouldn't it be easier to have Hinata look at Ami at her house? We know where she lives."

He frowned. "I'd rather avoid the residential area if possible," he said.

"Then you want to go to that 'Farewell Celebration' thing tomorrow night?"

"Not particularly, but we don't have much choice."

Sakura gave him a measured look and Shikamaru recognized her unspoken thought. She still wanted to go to Ami's house.

"It would be too troublesome if we went to her home," he sighed. "Ami is probably under even more control there than at the restaurant. Plus, we don't know what kind of people she lives with. It's unwise."

"I see," she said, voice taking on a slightly annoyed quality. "You want to go to this celebration tomorrow and you want me to talk to her again, correct?"

"Mm."

"The festival will be crowded and chaotic," she said.

"I know."

"But you still want to go anyway."

"That's my decision, yes."

Sakura sighed and ran a hand through her hair, pushing a few errant locks out of her eyes. He peered at her, noting her frown and standoffish behavior. When her eyes met his, she seemed even more aloof. Then she pointedly looked away from him, showing him her profile. The gesture felt somewhat dismissive.

'_Troublesome woman_,' he thought, scowling in her direction. When Sakura shifted her weight and glanced back at him, he didn't bother to look away. Nor did he bother to stop scowling. That seemed to annoy her more and she quickly broke eye contact.

"What are you going to tell the Hokage and Kazekage?" she asked, voice clipped as she examined her cuticles.

"I'm going to tell them both the same thing. I don't see any reason to keep what little we've learned from the Sand." He paused, waiting for her to look at him again. "Do you?"

"No."

The silence returned. Anxious and uncomfortable. Sakura was only standing a few feet away but she may as well be on the other side of the country.

"Regardless of what I tell them," he sighed, "it will still be troublesome for everyone."

"This could easily lead to civil war for the Wind Country," she said.

His jaw muscle jumped, clenched. Lips forming a tight line, he said nothing. He didn't have to. They both knew it was true. The rift between the Shinobi of the Sand and the Feudal Lord of the Wind Country was decades old. And the recent war with the Sound didn't help to alleviate that internal tension. It only made it worse.

"The Feudal Lord might be able to prevent an uprising with diplomacy," Shikamaru noted.

"I don't think he'd be that lucky twice," she said. "He barely escaped a coup d'etat after the Sound were defeated."

"I understand he made a deal with Gaara."

"That was because he had to."

As the pupil of the Hokage, Sakura was privy to information that most shinobi would never hear a whisper of. Curious, Shikamaru baited her for more. "I take it you met him?" he asked.

"The Wind Country's Feudal Lord?" she scowled. "Three times."

"What's he like?"

Sakura shrugged and pushed a pink lock of hair behind her ear, "He's a jerk."

Shikamaru lifted a brow and waited for her to continue.

"He's a typical Feudal Lord," she said. "Arrogant. Power hungry. Spoiled. Phony. He's not that much older than us. He is a very effective speaker and when you first meet him, very charming. Good looking, too, but he's also paranoid."

"What did he say to make you think that?"

"Nothing specific," she shrugged. "It's just his overall attitude. The way he carries himself and the people he surrounds himself with. The way he talks about the Sand and shinobi in general... It's not quite condescending but neither is it sincere."

"Pretentious."

"Right," she said, shifting her weight to face him more fully. "He sees the Shinobi of the Sand as a threat to him personally, as though they covet his power and wish to take it for themselves even though they willingly give their lives to protect him. I'm certain that if he thought he could get rid of the Kazekage and completely dominate the Sand, he would do it."

Shikamaru studied her, a shadow of a smirk playing about his lips.

"And if he tries to do that," she continued. "The resulting civil war wouldn't just be limited to the Wind Country. He would have to hire foreign shinobi to fight for him, forcing the poorer shinobi villages to get involved first. Konoha would naturally side with Suna and then every other nation with a grudge against us or the Kazekage would get involved, too."

Shikamaru was almost grinning. Listening to her, watching her... it was engaging. She had a very good grasp of politics. Of course, studying under Tsunade would help to develop that, but it wouldn't give her real insight. And the way she spoke about the Feudal Lord showed that she was really paying attention. Sakura had a true interest in politics. She saw beyond the rhetoric to the cunning and psychology that helped to form and reshape entire nations.

Most peers his age didn't care about politics. Many of them didn't even know the names of the Feudal Lords who were allies to the Leaf, let alone those who were hostile. They were far more interested in honing their ninjutsu skills and finding their place within the shinobi hierarchy than they were in the delicate strategy of political intrigue, but that was what set Shikamaru apart from his peers. It wasn't that he didn't care about his skills or being a good leader, it just wasn't a pursuit that kept his interest for very long. Strategy, theory and intellectual analysis were the things that he really enjoyed. When the bureaucracy and hubris of politics are removed from the equation, only the maneuvering and tactics of those in power remained. And in that way, politics is much like chess.

Sakura recognized the subtlety. She saw how the pieces were being moved and understood the bigger picture. Shikamaru liked that. A lot.

'_I wonder if she's any good at shogi..?_'

"That's the Akatsuki's real goal," she said. "To spark the Shinobi Wars all over again."

He snorted and gave her a dark smile, "And when the fighting is over and many of our best soldiers are dead, what better time is there for them to strike?"

• • •

NEXT DAY - EVENING

It was rather difficult to hear with the drone of insects all around her. They swarmed, moving in sync as they clamored together to form a net-like shield around Hinata and Shino. When the process was complete, they were neatly cocooned together in a bubble made of kikai. It was then that Shino fed specially molded chakra to the insects, manipulating them into transforming, thus completing the camouflage effect and visually melting them into the leafy background.

In such a cramped, dark space, Hinata couldn't help but feel a little claustrophobic. She was tempted to use her Byakugan early, just to escape the visual confines of the cocoon, but she needed to conserve her energy. She was expected to observe Shikamaru and Sakura for at least two hours. Longer, if possible.

Hinata had never used her Byakugan for so long. Truthfully, she didn't know if she could. So it was important for her to focus all of her energy and thoughts to the task at hand. She would have to narrow her focus to a sliver of concentration and ignore everything else going on around her. This meant she would be totally vulnerable to attack, and completely dependent upon her teammates to protect her.

Sasuke would provide the first layer of defense. He was stationed several yards away, warning traps set all around them as he kept a keen eye out for any possible hostiles. Next was Shino. The cocoon that made them appear invisible to the casual observer also hindered Hinata's vision from the inside looking out. To her unaltered eye, it was like they were surrounded by a dark, moving parchment. But Shino could see beyond the shield. He could see everything the kikai could.

"One minute," Shino said.

Hinata nodded. Settling herself more comfortably in position, she breathed deeply and centered herself. Then proceeded to perform the hand seals necessary to release the full power of the Byakugan. The instant she finished, the world rushed around her. Solid objects became transparent as her vision expanded to encompass a near 360 degree circumference. Automatically, her mind began to discard the useless information flooding her brain as she narrowed her focus. Trees, rocks, a road, a gate...

Hinata narrowed her eyes. She pushed past the gate and saw buildings loom before her in the washed-out colors of her negative vision.

"They should be in position now."

Her jaw set with concentration. Once again, she pushed her view forward. People clogged the streets in a constantly moving mass. It was difficult to discern roads from walkways as everyone used whatever path was available to get to where they needed to go. With her focus so narrowed and the constant flux of people, Hinata had a hard time finding the throughway that Shikamaru described to Shino last night.

'_He said it would be a main road... so it's probably going to be more crowded than the other roads..._'

Hinata spotted two such roads, both of which intersected in the center of town.

'_Where are they...? Which road..?_'

Swallowing hard, she picked the throughway pointing to the north and narrowed her focus even more. Shikamaru said that they would stand out from the crowd. Somehow. Hopefully, Hinata was looking in the general area where Shikamaru and Sakura would be so she could see what he planned to do to attract her attention.

"Find them yet?" Shino asked.

Hinata bit her lip, but didn't dare risk breaking her concentration to answer.

She saw a flash of chakra in the distance. Holding her breath, she quickly pushed her vision forward until she finally spotted two familiar figures standing several feet apart. The first figure's hand came up and the second figure mirrored it. The first figure lifted their leg and the second figure mirrored it again.

"Kagemane no Jutsu," Hinata whispered, a relieved smile playing about her lips. "I see them."

Hinata focused on Shikamaru. He performed one more motion with his hand for Sakura to copy, then his chakra flashed once more, marking the release of the jutsu. Moments later, with joined hands, they moved down the street.

• • •

The sun had only been down for an hour and already the streets were filled with inebriated people. Music and laughter condensed around them, reverberating through their flesh and bones. Couples clung together; some swaying to the melody that overflowed the center of town while others busied themselves with games or food.

The music wasn't too bad. The tempo was uplifting and lively, but not too fast. Clearly the intent was to get people dancing, and dance they did... in their own drunken way. Watching them was amusing, but having to navigate around them was another matter entirely. Still, they weren't near as annoying as the couples who simply stood in the middle of pedestrian traffic to kiss and nuzzle. On more than one occasion, Shikamaru had to refrain from snidely telling the amorous couples to 'find a room.'

All in all, everyone around them was having a good time. Toothy grins, joyful giggles and the near free-flow of alcohol combined to make the 'Farewell Celebration' the most boisterous and winsome Shikamaru had ever seen.

It was also starting to give him a headache.

His only reprieve was the fact that they no longer needed to navigate their way through the crowds. Shikamaru had the foresight to make reservations for dinner at Gekkani. They would be one of the few couples able to dine without having to wait hours for a seat. But it was with dismay that he realized that the restaurant had closed the main dining area and opted to serve their patrons on the patio. Several restaurants close to the center of town were doing the very same thing. It made sense with the pleasant weather, clear night skies, free concert and opportunity to see drunken people make fools of themselves... but that didn't mean Shikamaru wanted to eat outside. Especially when he didn't immediately spot their targets upon arrival.

That was troublesome. After all, he had a mission to finish and a deadline to keep. Hinata and the rest of the team couldn't stake-out the village all evening. If she didn't look at Ami and Kisho with the Byakugan now, it was unlikely that she ever would. Scowling, Shikamaru immediately began thinking of alternative options to make use of Hinata in case their targets didn't show up.

"I don't see her anywhere," Sakura said after they were seated.

"Neither do I."

Her expression tightened, but she said nothing more. Moments later, a waitress they hadn't seen before arrived to take their order.

"Is Kisho here today?" Shikamaru asked the server. "I'd like to tell him 'hello.'"

The waitress smiled, "Well, he was here earlier, but I haven't seen him for a while."

"Oh, I see."

The waitress smiled, "If I see him I'll let him know you were looking for him."

Shikamaru gave a slight nod. "Thanks."

When the server left, Sakura caught his eye.

"You want to talk to him?" she asked.

"Not really," he shrugged. "But I figure if he's here, then Ami is probably here, too."

Sakura nodded.

They sat in silence for several minutes, each looking everywhere else but at each other. Still, there was no sign of their targets. Only when they were nearly done with their meal did Shikamaru make the decision that they would have to go to Ami's home. It was the only way to get the information he required. Now all he needed to do was come up with a believable excuse to explain to her why they were there.

'_We could use Henge no Jutsu to transform ourselves into someone familiar to her,_' he thought. '_But it would have to be someone we know she's not afraid of..._'

A tokkuri of warm sake was suddenly placed before them, pulling Shikamaru from his thoughts. He raised a brow at the waitress. "We didn't order this."

"No, the sake is on the house."

"Kisho..?"

The waitress smiled. "That's right. He noticed that you didn't seem to be celebrating."

The corner of Shikamaru's lip twisted upwards, making his scowl look more like a grimace. He didn't want to drink, or feel pressured to drink. It was his policy to avoid alcohol. It made him too talkative, too moody, too hasty and too sloppy. Not good for a shinobi who simply wanted to lead a troublesome-free life.

"We typically don't drink," he said.

The waitress hesitated. "But... he said... Do you want me to take it back? It's on the house..."

"No, no. That won't be necessary," Sakura piped in, giving Shikamaru a meaningful look. "This is a special occasion. And Kisho is very kind to do this for us."

The waitress relaxed, her expression softening.

"Where is Kisho?" Shikamaru asked.

Glancing over her shoulder, the waitress sighed. "He's around somewhere. I only saw him for a few minutes. He's been busy all day talking to people."

"Friends?"

"No, business people," she said. "Every month they stop by and Kisho has to work with them for a couple of days."

"Oh," Shikamaru rubbed the back of his head. "Well, tell him we said 'thanks.'"

Their waitress inclined her head in acknowledgment before stepping away from the table. Sakura was already sampling the sake when Shikamaru turned his attention to her.

"It's not poisoned," she whispered.

He nodded and Sakura began to fill a sakazuki. She pushed the alcohol toward him. "It's actually pretty good quality stuff," she added as she filled the second cup.

Shikamaru lifted a questioning brow as she sipped.

"What?" she asked.

"Didn't realize you were a connoisseur of sake."

Sakura snorted. "I've been Tsunade-shishou's student for eight years," she said. "Her lessons didn't always revolve around biology, medical jutsu and chakra control."

"Ah."

She took another sip. Her cup would need refilling before Shikamaru even took his first drink.

"I take it that you know a jutsu to get rid of intoxication... right?"

Sakura smirked, but said nothing.

"Is that a no?"

"Tsunade can instantly detoxify her blood with a jutsu she developed years ago. She promised to teach it to me when I pass my Jounin exam."

"Oh."

"But alcohol is like any other poison, so I do know a couple of tricks that will help to speed up the process of detoxification," she finished her drink and smiled. "At least enough to stay out of trouble." Making an exaggerated nod toward his still untouched sakazuki, she asked, "Not a fan of sake?"

He frowned, noting the developing rosiness of her cheeks and more relaxed demeanor. She was probably just starting to feel a buzz.

"I'm just not a fan of being mentally impaired while on a mission."

She snorted and refilled her cup. "Won't it look suspicious if we don't drink? Every other couple around us is pretty well drunk by now."

"We're leaving soon anyway," he said.

"So we can drop the pretext now?"

"Of course not."

"Then have a sip and become mentally impaired for a while," she said. "It might be fun."

"No thanks," he said, eying her warily. "In fact, you should probably slow down a bit."

She sipped the last of her sake and reached for the bottle to refill her cup. "Is that an order?"

"No."

"Good," she said as she returned the tokkuri to its place on the table. "Because this is just what the doctor ordered," she paused and smirked at her own choice of words. "No pun intended."

Shikamaru sighed.

"Relax, _sweetheart,_" she said, voice barely above a whisper and full of sarcasm. "I know my limits. Tsunade-shishou made certain of that."

The shadow user's frown didn't diminish, but he let the subject drop without another word. After several moments of scanning the crowd for their target, he sighed. "It looks like were going to need to head over to the residential area after all."

"Whatever for?" she asked, voice especially sweet. The tone annoyed him to no end.

"Why do you think?"

Sakura swallowed a mouthful of sake, then pointed her chin at something behind him. "Our girl is here."

He turned in his seat to get a look. Sure enough Ami had finally made an appearance, and she was talking to their waitress.

"Good," he said. "You should go over and talk to her. Gather chakra in your hand and touch Ami's shoulder or something. Hinata will see what you're doing and know to look her over carefully." He reached for his sakazuki, "I'll find Kisho."

Without pausing to breathe, Shikamaru finished his sake in a matter of seconds then moved to refill it a second time. Sakura grinned knowingly, "You want him to smell the alcohol on you?"

He rubbed his chin with the back of his hand as he finished the second cup. "Yep."

Dipping her fingers in her sake, Sakura flicked a few drops of the liquid at him. He lifted a brow at her. She smirked and did it again.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Helping you out."

He gave her a queer look.

"You want him to smell it on you, right? Then make him _really_ smell it," she explained, a sly smirk tugging at her lips. "We're all about deceit here and playing games. Gotta make it 'look real' so no one gets suspicious."

'_Gotta make it look real..._'

Shikamaru scowled at her comment, but refused to acknowledge it. She was about to flick more drops of sake on him when a familiar voice stilled them both.

"H-hello."

Shikamaru and Sakura looked up to see Ami standing near their table, a timid smile lifting her features.

"Um..." her smile faltered. She nervously cleared her throat. "S-sorry, but... I was wondering... is this... yours?" she asked, holding up the barrette they left behind days ago.

• • •

Sakura took the barrette offered to her, "Yeah, that's mine." She quickly turned it over in her hand, looking for any obvious signs of tampering. There were none. Giving Ami a wide grin, she asked, "Where'd you find it?"

"Oh... well, one of the busboys found it. He figured that it belonged to one of us, but I thought I remembered seeing you wear it the last time you were here."

"Thank you," the medic-nin smiled as she peered at the girl, noting her shy countenance and the delicate blush starting to rise on her cheeks. Immediately Sakura was reminded of Hinata and she grinned widely as she pocketed the barrette.

"Ah, there he is," Shikamaru said. "Good."

Sakura looked up and saw Kisho standing near the main entrance of the restaurant. He was speaking to a man she had never seen before. Without hesitation, Shikamaru stood, nodded at the two women, and then excused himself.

'_I guess that's my cue,_' Sakura thought as her squad leader approached their secondary target. It didn't take much concentration to gather extra chakra in her hand, but Sakura felt a sudden burst of fuzziness when she did it, as though the effort of molding her chakra had stirred the pot of her own intoxication.

'_I guess I really should have slowed down. I'm a little more tipsy than I thought. Foolish._' The corners of her lips curled up in an amused smirk as she wondered what Tsunade-shishou's reaction would be to her current state.

"Are... are you okay?" Ami asked. "You look a little flush..."

Sakura couldn't help but to snort, then giggle when Ami's expression turned uncertain.

"Yeah, I'm okay," she said, offering the girl an apologetic smile as she struggled to control her emotions, forcing herself to concentrate past the alcohol-induced fuzziness. "I shouldn't have had so much to drink so quickly. My husband warned me to slow down, but I didn't listen."

She grinned at the young waitress, who could only manage a hesitant look in return. Seeing her unease only made Sakura smile more. "Don't look so worried," she said. "I'm just a little drunk. It'll pass."

Ami smiled and managed a weak laugh. "Oh. Well... do you want... more?"

Sakura shook her head, "No, no, no. Shikamaru would _kill_ me. Not literally, but he wouldn't approve. No. Had too much already. Thanks."

"Oh." The young woman pushed a lock of hair out of her eyes, "I can bring you some coffee if you'd like. Or water, maybe?"

"Naaa. I'll be fine soon."

The girl nodded and shifted her weight. She was going to leave. Seizing the moment, the pink-haired kunoichi touched Ami's hand, her fingers brushing the scar. The sudden contact caused the the girl to recoil.

"S-sorry." Sakura said, giving her a sheepish grin. "I was just wondering how you did that."

The girl pulled her hand back, curling her fingers into a fist and doing her best to hide the ugly wound from her. But Sakura didn't let the question die. And being tipsy, she didn't feel quite so bad about pushing the girl to answer her.

"Looks like you had a nasty accident."

Ami nodded hesitantly as she glanced around them.

"What happened?"

"My... my finger got caught between two gears," she said.

Sakura frowned at the well-rehearsed lie, but played along anyway.

"Really?" She peered at the scar, "Looks like the wound got infected, too."

The young woman's brows rose in surprise. "How did you know that?"

"I'm thinking about becoming a doctor," the medic-nin grinned. "I have to study this sort of thing."

"Really?"

"Mm-hmmmm."

Ami hesitated for a moment as she considered something. Then, with obvious nervousness, she discretely showed Sakura her hand again. "Does it... does it look... bad?"

Sakura frowned, "What do you mean?"

"It's ugly, isn't it? The scar? People always look at it and I... I can't wear gloves anymore, and..."

Giving the girl a reassuring smile, Sakura said, "The scar will fade on its own. There are some creams you can buy that might help with the redness and make the skin feel softer, but it will get better on its own. Just give it some time. If you can find yourself a good doctor, like a ninja who specializes in medicine, they might be able to get some of the tissue to regenerate."

"They can do that?" she asked, eyes brightening.

"They can't regenerate a finger, but they can help some of that scar tissue disappear, which will make the skin look smoother and less red."

"Really?"

Sakura nodded.

"The doctor who stitched my hand mentioned something like that," she said. "Something about medic-nins... but I was so groggy I thought I was dreaming."

"He knocked you out so he could treat your hand?"

"No, I was sick. I had a bad fever and I was throwing up a lot," she explained. "It was a few days before I was allowed to see a doctor so it got infected and made me sick."

A familiar feeling of dread hardened in the pit of the medic-nin's belly. "Do you mind if I look at your hand again?" Sakura asked, feeling a little more sober in light of the information being communicated.

Ami nodded and the pink-haired kunoichi carefully examined her hand, turning it over as she looked. It definitely wasn't a wound caused by machinery. The scar on the palm was perfectly straight and wedge-shaped. If Sakura had to guess, she would say someone took a hatchet or chisel to her pinky, then tore the rest of the finger off. That would explain the mismatched scars on either side.

"Looks like you were lucky to keep your ring finger, too," Sakura said, doing her very best to hide her unease.

"That's what the doctor said! The infection was spreading to my—"

"Ami, does he hurt you?" she whispered, holding tight to her wrist.

The girl's eyes widened.

"Are you in danger? Tell me the truth."

Ami tried to tug her wrist free, but Sakura refused to let go.

"Just nod if you are," Sakura whispered. "Please, don't be afraid to tell me."

"I-I..." she swallowed hard and glanced around them. Kisho was watching and the fear became evident in her eyes. "Let _go._ Please!"

"Ami, there are people who can help you. You and your baby—"

She yanked once more, freeing her wrist from Sakura's grasp. Without a word, Ami turned on her heel and hurriedly walked away. Sakura watched her leave and was annoyed to find Kisho staring at her, his expression cold and hard. He nodded toward the medic-nin once and said something to Shikamaru. Whatever was said caused her squad leader to glance at her, but his expression revealed nothing.

Kisho, on the other hand, was staring at her with an animosity that made Sakura's blood boil.

'_You bastard!_'

If she had been totally sober, she would have remained seated. She would have let Shikamaru handle Kisho and wait for her squad leader to signal her for assistance or return to their table. Instead, she rose from her seat and went to them.

• • •

It was uncomfortable talking to Kisho. The man was clearly angry about Sakura talking to Ami. He kept glaring at the two women, his jaw clenched and shoulders tense. Shikamaru did his best to distract the restaurant owner, but he doubted his efforts would be successful for much longer.

"She's a bit of a busybody, isn't she?"

Shikamaru lifted a brow and pretended not to know what Kisho was referring to. "Hmm?"

"Your wife."

Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Sakura watching them both. Ami was no where in sight.

"She's just social," he said with a shrug. "Always has been."

"Seems like a busybody to me," Kisho said, still looking past Shikamaru to stare at Sakura. "You're going to have a difficult marriage if she doesn't learn her place."

Frowning, he asked, "What exactly do you mean by that?"

Sakura came to stand beside him as Shikamaru waited for Kisho to answer the question. He visibly tensed at the sight of her, his eyes narrowed in anger and chin raised in defiance. Sakura responded to his unspoken annoyance by meeting his gaze with an unflinching resolve that barely concealed her own anger.

Kisho snorted and folded his arms over his chest. Without missing a beat, he answered Shikamaru's question. "Your wife likes to stick her nose in business that doesn't concern her," he said, dismissing Sakura's presence by speaking about her as though she wasn't there. "That makes her a busybody."

The pink-haired kunoichi tensed beside him as Kisho continued.

"That little stunt she pulled yesterday with Ami, asking those questions—"

"I simply asked her about her pregnancy!" Sakura said, her words slightly louder than necessary. "There's nothing wrong with that."

"I wasn't speaking to _you,_ girl," he sneered. "Learn your damn place."

Eyes narrowed and fists clenched tightly at her sides, Sakura's voice took on a dangerous tone that Shikamaru recognized as a clear warning. "My place?" she asked. "What place is that? Under a man's heel?"

Kisho looked down his nose at her. "Yes! A woman's place is under a man. Her purpose is to _please_ her man. That's all you're good for. The sooner you learn this, the better, but I suppose it can't be helped, considering you're from a country that allowed a woman to become Kage."

Aghast, Sakura could only stare in muted shock. Even Shikamaru was taken aback. The more Kisho's words soaked into his mind, the angrier the Jounin became, but as was his nature, he kept that anger steadfastly in-check.

"Don't talk to my wife like that," Shikamaru warned, voice clipped.

His caution went ignored.

"I wouldn't have to if she acted like a lady. She drinks alcohol like a man, she acts like she's equal to a man... It's offensive!" Turning his attention to Sakura, he asked, "What questions did you ask Ami tonight? I saw you touch her hand. Why would you do that?"

"I just asked her what happened—"

"It's none of your business what happened. She's my concern!" he railed. "Mine!"

"You don't _own_ her," Sakura said, verbally pushing Kisho even more. No doubt the sake was affecting her better judgment. "She can speak to me if she wants to. She didn't do anything wrong and stop acting like she's your property or something! She's not, you pig!"

Kisho's eyes narrowed, his arm twitched and hand raised... Shikamaru knew his intent was to backhand her. There was no doubt in his mind that Sakura could easily evade the incoming blow, even if she was a little tipsy. But knowing that didn't prevent him from instinctively reacting. The way Kisho spoke to her, the way he looked down at her... and now the intention to _hurt_ her...

Sudden fury hardened within Shikamaru and he caught Kisho's hand with ease. With a simple twist, the old man's thumb was pushed back toward his elbow, threatening to tear tendons and break bone. With just a modicum of additional pressure, it would be easy to break the man's wrist.

"This woman," Shikamaru said, nodding toward Sakura, "is my _ wife._ Don't talk down to her and don't you dare touch her."

• • •

Her smile was wide and dimpling as she clung to his arm, leading him away from Kisho and Gekkani. She didn't know where she was leading him and she didn't care. She simply knew that they needed to leave the restaurant.

Still feeling a buzz, the irony of the moment wasn't lost on Sakura. Her fingers intertwined with his as they distanced themselves from the restaurant. She could feel Kisho's animosity as they walked away. She didn't need to look back at him to know that the old man was glaring at them. But they kept walking and she kept smiling, even as Shikamaru continued to chafe inwardly beside her, his scowl cutting dark lines in his face. Sakura had never seen him so angry before, had never imagined that he could _be_ so angry. But she knew she had to get him away from there.

"Would you relax?" Sakura whispered, squeezing his arm. "Come on..."

Jaw clenched, he closed his eyes and slowly exhaled out his nose. Seeing him like that, outraged because of what Kisho had said to her and attempted to do... it made her feel good. Protected. Even (dare she think it?) _loved_. Or, at the very least, cared for. And seeing him now, still tense and simmering and so unlike she'd ever seen him before, she was suddenly struck with the desire to push her fingers through his hair, pull his face down toward hers and kiss him.

So she did. Gently, almost timidly. On the cheek, just barely touching the corner of his mouth.

His eyes opened suddenly and they peered at each other. One bewildered and the other slightly amused. Sakura couldn't help but grin. And Shikamaru, he was still too surprised to even scowl.

'_He said kissing me distracted him, didn't he..?_' she thought. '_I wonder..._'

She would kiss him. Really kiss him, the way she wanted to, just to see.

He had been so matter-of-fact when he confessed and apologized to her. So detached and intellectual about it. As though he had simply handed her the wrong tool for a job. It was his detachment that had irked her. Still irked her. Not only because his demeanor left her feeling rejected, but the implication about her that it suggested. She felt like garbage. Like someone to fulfill a need and then tossed aside.

But Shikamaru had just defended her. And in a weird way, claimed her. She kept telling herself that it was just the moment, the sake, the stress, the deadline... but there was more. To become so angry, so protective...

He cared about her.

Alcohol-induced bravery made her lean toward him, stretch upward, and brush her lips against his. He didn't pull back. He didn't move. She repeated the feather touch and so did he. She didn't know exactly when his lips parted, or if she was the one to open her mouth first, but she was aware of the moment his arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer. Tighter. Deeper.

It was fulfilling. Kissing him, feeling him wrapped around her as his hands moved over her back and her fingers trailed from his neck to his wide shoulders. Every inch of her felt wonderful and electrified. She never thought simply kissing someone could feel so good. So reassuring. But it did.

After several long moments, he pulled her more tightly against him and she felt his arousal. The knowledge that she could make him feel that way only excited her more and she rewarded him by running the tip of her tongue along his lower lip. He deepened the kiss then and Sakura felt her insides flutter in response. Hands moving along her curves almost possessively, Shikamaru caressed her cheek before tangling his fingers in her hair. Between the brief seconds where they parted just to breathe, Sakura suspired against him. The sound of her breath, or perhaps the feel of it against his flesh, caused him to pause. To tense. To reconsider.

They said nothing as they gazed at each other, a plethora of thoughts and feelings playing across their features. Shikamaru was the first to regain his concentration and his expression reflected as much. The corners of Sakura lips pushed downward as she searched his visage. One arm still hooked around her waist, he pushed her hair behind her ear before letting his hand drop to his side.

Sakura was confused. He felt distant to her and yet he was still holding her, still keeping her near, as though stretching out the moment. But it ended, as all moments did. He stepped away from her, expression troubled and more than a little uncertain. In silence, they began walking again, leaving the raucous crowd of honeymooners behind them to begin the next phase of their mission.

* * *

**Lexicon:**

sakazuki: tiny cups used for drinking warm sake

tokkuri: small ceramic pitcher for serving warm sake


	10. a river in egypt

**dawning**

**.:a river in egypt:.**  
chapter ten

* * *

She cut her hair.

That was the most obvious change. Everyone did a double-take when they saw her. Where once Sakura's pink hair reached almost to the small of her back, it was now cropped just below her chin, framing her face.

"For the mission," the medic-nin explained, fingering the ends of her hair and looking a bit self-conscious. "Shikamaru thought we should do something to alter our appearance, so..." She trailed off, a light pink hue coloring her cheeks from the scrutiny of her peers.

"It looks nice," Hinata said, smiling. "I think it suits you like that."

The medic-nin grinned and thanked Hinata for the compliment. Then the group busied themselves with various last-minute tasks before breaking camp. Hinata and Shino worked side-by-side, carefully erasing all traces of their stay. As she bent down to retrieve a scrap of litter, Sakura's voice caught her attention. Hinata turned white eyes toward the sound and watched the medic-nin as she spoke to their squad leader.

The conversation was purely professional in nature. In fact, it was almost cold. As though they were acquaintances and not friends. It wasn't as though they were being adverse to each other. Quite the opposite, in fact. They were very polite. Almost painfully so... in a rigid sort of way.

'_Why are they acting like that..?'_ Hinata wondered, frowning.

After last night, the Hyuga heiress thought for sure that something significant had happened between the two. That their relationship had changed at some point during the mission. Where once they were friends, now they are more. She had been genuinely happy for them when she saw them kissing, so much so that she almost told Shino about what she saw but decided at the last minute to keep it to herself. She wondered now if she had deactivated her Byakugan too soon. If perhaps she had missed something.

Hinata frowned in puzzlement. '_I could have sworn... their chakra... that was passion, wasn't it?'_

Uncertainty was beginning to set in and she unconsciously began to chew on her bottom lip. Unlike Neji, Hinata still did not comprehend everything she saw with her Byakugan. She could report what she saw with her eyes, but understanding the motivation that drives people to do what they do... that was something she was still learning.

Her older cousin could interpret emotions and motivation from body language and chakra flow as easily as he could tie his own shoes. It was an innate talent for him. And it was an insight that he was very proud of. If he saw something with his Byakugan, he believed it. In spite of any protests he may receive to the contrary. Neji trusted his own eyes and understanding of human motivation beyond all else.

While Hinata trusted her eyes, she still didn't have the confidence that Neji had in terms of pure interpretation. She thought she saw passion and lust last night. Chakra definitely built up between the two Leaf-nins and it only grew more intense as their kissing continued. Hinata, feeling a bit like a voyeur, quickly deactivated her Byakugan and told Shino that her assignment was complete.

But now...

Hinata eyed the couple and wondered if what she saw wasn't passion, but embarrassment? What if she was wrong... again?

'_If only Neji were here,_' Hinata thought as self-doubt began to erode her confidence. '_He would know._'

Then a new thought struck her.

'_If Neji were here, he'd be angry with me for even thinking such a thing._' She peered at the couple, noting the careful distance they kept from one another. '_Neji would tell me to really _look_ at them. I can't__ simply believe what they want me to believe. They're ninja. I have to _look_ at them._'

So she did.

The pair parted company with barely a word between them. Careful to watch them without being too obvious, Hinata waited. Shikamaru's body language didn't give very much away, but Sakura's did. She wasn't looking at Sasuke as often. And when the medic-nin did look toward the Uchiha heir, her expression wasn't as heavy as it had been only days before. Where there was once grief and heartache, she now saw uncertainty and perhaps self-reproach.

The more Hinata thought about it, the more she noticed. And an odd sense of pride began to creep into the back of her mind. She was almost certain now.

Both Shikamaru and Sakura were preoccupied, and it didn't appear to be the strangeness of their mission that weighed upon their minds. If that were the case, they wouldn't be acting so painfully polite toward each other one moment and then carefully trying to avoid each other the next. It was so subtle, that Hinata was certain that if she hadn't been paying attention, she would have missed it.

Shikamaru and Sakura were attracted to each other. And that attraction made them both uncomfortable.

A small smile lifted the Hyuga heiress' features. '_So the kiss was real. I was right._'

"Hinata."

The Byakugan user nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of Shikamaru's voice. She met his scowl with an expression of guilt and he frowned at her.

"What did you see last night?" he asked, his voice pitched for her eyes only.

Unable to control it, Hinata's blush was immediate and condemning. Shikamaru's frown deepened at the colored hue of her cheeks, but he said nothing.

Fidgeting with the hem of her shirt and taking a deep breath, she told him about the unusual chakra signatures she saw. She told him how the chakra glowed and swirled. How it circulated in a way she had never seen before and how it seemed to radiate from the young mother's body like a light bulb.

Intrigued, Shikamaru asked her a few more questions, pressing her for details and clarifying a few points. Hinata stuttered through some of her answers, trying to do her best to explain what she saw, but found it difficult to keep up with his line of thought at times. There were several points in their conversation where Hinata felt that her answers were lacking in the details he needed and she felt guilty for that. She soon began to wonder if she had let him down in her assigned task.

"And the male target?" Shikamaru asked. "Kisho?"

"There was nothing. Even when you hit..." she trailed off when Shikamaru's expression tightened. She felt her cheeks redden once again. Changing her explanation, she said, "His chakra was... consistent for a civilian."

"Mm."

Hinata stood there, unsure of what to do while Shikamaru processed the information she provided.

After a long moment, he said, "Thank you, Hinata. You've been a great help."

At his words, the weight of uncertainly lifted from her shoulders and she gave him a shy, but grateful smile before returning to her work alongside Shino. A few minutes later, Shikamaru announced that it was time to move out and meet up with their escorts to the Sand Village.

• • •

Tired, thirsty and covered in the grit of travel, Shikamaru sighed with relief when the Hidden Village of the Sand finally came into view. He wanted nothing more than to find a comfortable place to relax but knew he wouldn't be given the opportunity. The simple fact that Gaara sent his siblings to meet them told Shikamaru that the Kazekage was taking a very personal interest in his report. Which wasn't that surprising, given the political environment that surrounded the shinobi of the sand.

Barely three steps beyond the gates of Sunagakure and Temari brought the group to a halt.

"Kankurou, please show everyone to the guest house." Temari caught the shadow user's eye, "Gaara wants to hear Shikamaru's report now."

The lazy Jounin sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Sakura should come along, too. She'll have some medical insights that I won't."

Temari nodded and turned on her heel, leading them toward the center of town. Sakura quickly fell in step beside Shikamaru as they followed the Kazekage's elder sister through the village and into the Kage tower. Gaara was waiting for them when they entered his office. He motioned for them to sit and a nearby Chuunin offered the two leaf-nin something to drink.

Gaara eyed them both while they quenched their thirst. Then said, "The Hokage is hopeful that you learned more about the Akatsuki's plans than Kakashi's team did."

Shikamaru swallowed a mouthful of water and scowled. "Our mission will raise more questions than answers."

Arms folded over his chest, the Kazekage settled himself deeper into his seat as he waited for the shadow-user to continue.

Shikamaru didn't waste any time on trivialities. His report began with a brief overview of what their mission objectives were and how he and Sakura worked together to achieve them. Then he began describing their targets, giving detailed physical descriptions and a basic psychological profile of both. Gaara's interest visibly piqued when Shikamaru said that one of their targets, Ami, was pregnant. But he remained quiet and thoughtful while the Leaf Jounin talked about Hinata using her Byakugan to study their chakra signatures.

Only then did Gaara interrupt him to ask questions.

"What about the baby?" the Kazekage asked.

"We don't know anything about it," Sakura said, adding her voice to the conversation for the first time since sitting down. "She didn't give us the name of the father or any details about him."

"Hinata did say that the chakra signature of the baby was highly unusual," Shikamaru added.

Sakura's brows rose in surprise. "She did?"

The Jounin spared her a quick glance and nodded.

Gaara's jaw clenched. "How, exactly, was it unusual?"

The corner of Shikamaru's lip curled upwards as a wry, knowing smile lifted his features. "She said it was very bright. Very strong. She said that the mother's aura was almost 'pale' in comparison."

The silence in the room pressed in around them, charged with anxiety. Gaara's expression turned cold and tight. He was becoming agitated.

"Did Hinata say what the infant's aura looked like?" Gaara asked.

Shikamaru spared Sakura a quick glance, trying to gauge how she was reacting to the added dimension of the situation that Hinata had provided. Until the baby was born, Hinata's observation was the best evidence yet about their assumption that the baby was a Jinchuuriki. Intelligent green eyes appeared distant and thoughtful as the medic quietly cataloged and processed the new information. In spite of her professionalism, Shikamaru caught a tremor of concern growing within her as she began to fidget.

"She simply said it was unusually strong," Shikamaru said. "She said it caught her attention almost immediately."

No one said a word for several seconds. Shikamaru observed the Kazekage, curious to hear what he had to say next, but he was in no hurry to share his thoughts. Gaara took a sip of water, sat back in his chair and focused his attention on Sakura. It was clear he was waiting for her to speak. When she didn't, he questioned her.

"Can you add anything to what the Hyuuga girl observed?" Gaara asked. "Sakura?"

So deep in thought that the sound of her name gave her a start, and she flinched. Gaara said nothing more. He simply waited. Clearing her throat, she began.

"Newborns don't develop a strong chakra flow until they're at least a few weeks old," she said, voice soft. "An unborn baby has the same chakra flow as its mother. Only after birth does it start to change."

Gaara eyed Sakura, his expression tight and unreadable.

"If you are asking me to give you a medical reason to explain what Hinata saw, I can't," she said. "At least not without a full exam and a battery of tests. There is no known medical reason for a fetus to have the kind of chakra that Hinata described, but there are jutsus that-"

"What can you say?" he asked, interrupting her. "What did _you_ observe?"

Sakura sat up a little straighter in her seat and said, "She is much further along than I originally guessed. Looking at her, I figured her to be in her second trimester, but she told me that she is in her third. If that's true, then the fetus is very underweight. She's a petite girl and not very tall. She isn't showing as much as she should. I doubt she's getting the proper medical care she needs for her pregnancy. If any at all." Capturing the Kazekage's gaze, Sakura quickly added, "There is no doubt in my mind that Ami is being abused and was most likely impregnated as the result of rape. I would like to see her taken into protective custody."

Gaara nodded once at her words, not in agreement, but in simple acknowledgment and they both knew it. Shikamaru sensed a dismissal incoming with no small amount of disappointment. He had hoped that the Kazekage would share his thoughts about Ami and her baby, but he was clearly unwilling. At least so far.

It was just as well. The unusually severe expression that Gaara wore said enough and Shikamaru was more than ready to be alone for awhile and finally relax.

• • •

After taking a quick shower and changing into his standard-issue jounin uniform, Shikamaru left the small one-room flat he had been provided by the Village of the Sand to wander. He almost regretted his decision to leave the guesthouse when he felt the cruel heat of the late afternoon sun bearing down on him. Few people walked the streets so late in the day as most wisely remained indoors to keep cool.

Wiping his brow with the back of his hand, Shikamaru sighed. '_It's no wonder that the Sand-nin have always been such dangerous opponents_,' he thought as he wandered down an alley between two residential buildings, '_Having to live in a hellhole like this would make you tough..._'

Shikamaru stopped in his tracks when he emerged from the alleyway. Shadowed by an apartment building and tucked away in a little corner of the world to be easily forgotten was a vacant lot with a small knoll. The grass had long since died with the passing of the rainy season and the other plant life nearby looked beat to hell from the oppressive heat and occasional sand storm, but in spite of the harshness, that tiny plot of land looked like home to him. Hands clasped behind his head, Shikamaru stretched out on his back as far as the little knoll would allow, not caring about the strange and curious looks he earned from the residents of the apartment complex nearby.

It was with a stab of disappointment that he stared up into the sky to see it devoid of clouds. It had been too long since he last visited the Wind Country and he had forgotten. One does not cloud watch in the Sand Village because there were simply no clouds to watch. (That is unless you count the few high wisps of white that looked more like faint smears than actual clouds.) No, in Suna, you stared at the wide, blue, open, blank, formless sky.

At nothing, essentially.

And a cloudless sky always felt depressing to him somehow. Empty. Which made the whole exercise moot. Staring at the clouds had always stirred his imagination and triggered long periods of deep pondering. It was how his father had taught him to relax his mind and unwind - and he couldn't do it, no matter how badly he wanted to.

It was frustrating.

With a sigh, he turned his mind to the puzzle that haunted his thoughts. There were so many pieces, so many options and variables to consider when it came to the Akatsuki and their goals... Shikamaru needed to figure them out. He needed to understand them. It was easy to see that the Akatsuki was working to create a new jinchuuriki, but it was so obvious that it was almost _too_ obvious. And Shikamaru never trusted the obvious. Especially when it came to an organization as crafty as the Akatsuki. They were skilled at pulling strings and manipulating people and events to fit their needs. They were defeated, certainly, but not destroyed. And that fact alone made them all the more dangerous in Shikamaru's mind.

Squinting up at the sky, Shikamaru's eyes peered into the endless expanse of blue. There was also the Earth Country to consider. How did they fit into everything? Were they allies with the Akatsuki now, or have the Stone been infiltrated by the Akatsuki? Somehow, the pieces all fit together. There was a goal the Akatsuki was trying to achieve, an outcome. Perhaps something far more sinister than simply trying to bring about the Shinobi Wars once again.

The fact that they were moving now, while Naruto was being groomed specifically to become the next Hokage, was no coincidence. Naruto made it perfectly clear what he wanted to do with the Akatsuki once he became Hokage, regardless of what any of the other Kages and Feudal Lords thought. In fact, Gaara publicly stated that he would assist Konoha in any endeavor designed to eliminate the Akatsuki.

Even if he couldn't figure out their motives, Shikamaru could plainly see where their sudden bravery came from. Someone powerful was looking out for them. Someone was protecting them, enabling them. The person best equipped to protect a group of S-class criminals had to be someone of significant political and/or military power. The Feudal Lord of the Wind Country fit that description. As did the Mizukage and Tsuchikage.

Shikamaru rubbed the back of his hand across his forehead and sighed. Sakura was right. No matter what happened, even if they found proof that the Akatsuki was active in the Earth country or that the Feudal Lord of the Wind Country was supporting the S-class group of criminals, there was a very low chance that violent hostilities could be avoided. Diplomacy could only work for so long against a group of people bent on war.

'_I wonder what Sakura thinks of Gaara's reaction to our report?_' he wondered. '_I should have stopped by her flat and checked on her..._'

As soon as the thought entered his mind, he frowned. Thinking about Sakura in one way or another was as persistent as it was troublesome, but there it was, making yet another reappearance in the forefront of his mind. He'd done so well with keeping thoughts of her at bay, buried under anything he could think of to distract himself from his growing attraction. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, thoughts of her would creep up again and he was doomed to remember what it was like to kiss her.

'_Once this mission is over, everything will be back to normal again,'_ he told himself. _'I'll be sent on another troublesome assignment and Sakura will train with the Hokage to prepare for her Jounin exam. I'll stop thinking about her all the time and she'll go back to mooning over Sasuke..._'

His frown cut deep lines into his face. It had always perplexed him the way females tended to gush over the Uchiha heir in general. It just never made sense to him, but the thought of Sakura fawning over Sasuke made his gut clench uncomfortably tight. His mood was starting to sour.

'_How is it that women can so easily make things so complicated,_' he wondered, his eyes staring dully toward the horizon as he fingered the wedding band he still wore. Sakura was complicating his thoughts far too much. No matter how much he tried to control his sentiments and remain steady, he could no longer deny the obvious to himself.

He was infatuated with her. She intrigued and challenged him. He enjoyed being near her, talking to her, listening to her... And those developing feelings were already making his role in the mission all the more problematic. It wasn't that he didn't believe he could focus past it and perform as required, because he was confident that he could. He just didn't like the constant tension and brooding.

"Figured I would find you laying around somewhere," a familiar female voice said, instantly derailing his train of thought. "But I didn't think I'd have to look for you this far from your flat."

Shikamaru scowled and craned his neck to see Temari standing over him, hands on her hips and a lips curled up in a half smirk. It was an expression he was all too familiar with. During his years as Chuunin Examiner, he had forged a friendship with the wind user that sometimes seemed far more troublesome than it was worth.

Now was one of those times.

Shikamaru simply glared at her as her smirk became more smug and amused. He wondered if she had sought him out for the sole purpose to annoy him. He could recall many an occasion where she set out to do just that. The lazy Jounin had long ago observed that there was a mean streak in most of the women he knew, and Temari's streak seemed especially wide.

The young woman's expression was completely devoid of anything that indicated a need for Shikamaru to engage her in conversation, let alone verbally acknowledge her arrival. With a sigh, he broke eye contact and listlessly returned his gaze to the empty blueness of the sky above, dismissing her presence with his lack of interest. He knew immediately that such a gesture would irritate her, so he was sure to do it as expertly as possible.

He heard her shift her weight and imagined she was glowering at the top of his head.

"Pft. You are the laziest man I have ever met."

• • •

Her barb had no obvious impact as he continued to pointedly ignore her. Their silent battle of wills went unbroken and Temari was irked to find that she was losing. Fast. She would have to quickly think of another tactic to get the apathetic Leaf-nin riled or give up all together.

After a long moment devoid of inspiration, she sighed.

"Gaara wants to see you and Sakura again."

"Right now?"

Temari snorted, "Yes, right now."

Shikamaru sat up and slowly got to his feet. He dusted himself off, then, without a word, made his way toward the alley and out to the main street beyond. Temari rolled her eyes at his retreating form as she followed after him.

"Is Sakura at the Kage tower now?" he asked.

"No. We need to stop by her room and wake her," she said, falling into step beside him. "Hinata told me that Sakura had complained of being tired and having a bad headache. I guess she's napping so I decided to let her rest a bit longer and look for you first."

Out of the corner of her eye, Temari saw Shikamaru scowl. Taking a chance, she threw out a good-natured tease just to see how he would react. "No need to worry. I'm sure your wife will be fine," she said. "She's a medic-nin after all."

He snorted, but said nothing.

An ornery smile lifted her features as the building that the Leaf-nin were staying in came into view. "So what's it like?" she asked.

He squinted at her. "What?"

"Being _married._"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes.

"Troublesome?" she grinned. "Or did you enjoy it?"

"We accomplished our mission," he said, ignoring her question. "The assignment was fine."

Temari wasn't one to let such a non-answer go. Her amusement intensified and she pressed him again, enjoying the way his jaw clenched in annoyance from her simple teasing.

"Oh, Shikamaru," she grinned. "That's not what I asked. I asked what it was like being married to Sakura."

"We're not married."

"Really?" she said as she reached for his hand, eyes gleaming with mischief. "You haven't taken your ring off yet."

Shikamaru shrugged nonchalantly when Temari released his hand.

"In fact, I caught you fidgeting with it when I found you. Doesn't seem like you simply forgot that you have it on."

He didn't reply. Instead he peered off into the distance with a seemingly bored expression. Temari knew he was trying to get her to drop the subject by pretending to be completely indifferent to it, but she knew him well enough to recognize the subtle signs of annoyance that he gave off. One of which he was displaying quite prominently. Jaw clenched tightly shut and the corners of his lips turned downward; Shikamaru was unconsciously starting to grind his teeth together.

"She hasn't taken her ring off either," Temari added, still smirking as she studied his profile. "Is there a reason for that?"

"It probably has to do with the fact that neither one of us wants to risk losing a pair of rings that don't belong to us," he said finally.

"Is that right?" she asked, voice heavy with sarcasm. "So all that time alone together, sharing a hotel room, pretending to be a couple — _nothing_ happened?"

Expression tight, he paused and caught her eye. "What exactly are you trying to imply, Temari?"

She laughed and nudged his arm good-naturedly. "I didn't realize I was 'implying' anything. I'm just saying... two of you alone, hotel room—"

"I slept on the floor."

Temari frowned in mock disappointment. "You always have to follow protocol, don't you? Squad leaders can still have fun, Shikamaru. I mean, did you at least kiss her?"

He sighed.

"You had to have had to kiss her at some point during the mission," she continued, trying to push as many buttons as she could. "Was it an open-mouthed kiss? Was there tongue?"

"Why do you care?"

She smirked. "Oh, my. I'll take that as a 'yes' then."

His lack of reply confirmed her statement. "Honestly," she said, grinning smugly, "I'm surprised little Miss Uchiha-obsessive was able to pull off the role of being married to you in the first place. Did she pretend you were Sasuke just to make it believable?"

Shikamaru's expression turned cold and dark. The transformation was so quick and complete, that Temari found herself suddenly at a loss for words. Regret formed a knot in her belly as she realized she had teased her friend too much and ended up hitting a nerve.

Temari opened her mouth to apologize, to attempt to take back her words, but Shikamaru stole her moment. Voice curt, the shadow user derailed the topic without even sparing her a glace. "Is the Kazekage going to share his thoughts on the situation with us now?"

"I didn't mean—"

She let her apology die in her throat when he turned to look at her. Without saying a word, she knew he wanted her to drop the subject. Immediately.

Clearing her throat, she conceded. "Gaara does what Gaara wants," she said, "He's not known for discussing his insights into a particular situation. Especially when it comes to the recent activities of the Akatsuki. Not unless he has to, but I suspect that he is willing to talk to you now that he has had a chance to think about everything."

Shikamaru gave a single, brief nod, but said nothing more. She studied him out of the corners of her eyes as he refocused his thoughts on the mission rather than his personal life. '_Good grief,'_ she thought, _'he's got it bad._'

As they made their way down the path toward the entrance of the guesthouse, the wind user paused, forcing Shikamaru to stop as well. He turned to face her, his expression still tight and very much annoyed.

"You do realize," she said carefully, voice low, "that the council still frowns upon speaking to outsiders about the internal affairs of the Sand. _All_ internal affairs. Even to a trusted ally. This is very problematic for us."

Shikamaru lifted a brow, interest piqued.

Reaching for the door, she said, "Let's get Sakura. The Kazekage doesn't like to be kept waiting."

• • •

He watched them approach, eyes angry red with black flecks swirling. Words fell from their lips, dripping with information that set his nerves on fire.

_"...all that time alone together, sharing a hotel room, pretending to be a couple _— nothing _happened?"_

Sasuke scowled.

_"Well, did you at least kiss her?"_

The remnant of the cursed seal flexed and quivered just beneath his skin. It's movement turning his mood even more acrid. Jaw tightly clenched, he continued to absorb their conversation as his fingers dug into the wood of the windowsill.

"_Gaara does what Gaara wants. He's not known for discussing his insights into a particular situation. Especially when it comes to the recent activities of the Akatsuki. Not unless he has to..._"

Sudden rage filled him, sending his blood pumping in hard torrents throughout his body. He could hear his pulse in his ears as he glared down at the conversing pair below. White-hot pain shot down Sasuke's arm and across his upper back, sending him reeling. He covered the remnant with his hand and hissed in pain, doing his best to remain standing as the seal throbbed ferociously. Struggling to peer out the window, he cursed under his breath when he saw that the pair had already entered the building.

Paranoia fluttered inside of him, sending him stumbling toward the bathroom. The pain was almost unbearable. If he didn't get control over his emotions, his suffering would only intensify. He needed to chance to calm down and figure out a plan. The Akatsuki was near.

And so was Itachi.


	11. sandstorm calling

**dawning**

**.:sandstom calling:.**  
chapter eleven

* * *

"They found nothing."

His voice was grave, dark. Sakura felt almost oppressed by the tone. The sharpness of the Kazekage's gaze only added to the growing tightness in her belly. Gaara was completely focused on them.

"Were they ordered to come here?" Shikamaru asked.

Sakura glanced at her squad leader out of the corners of her eyes, trying to get a read on his feelings. The way he asked that question reminded her of the way a school teacher queries his students. It wasn't a question asked to gain new information, it was a question asked to confirm what he already knew.

The Kazekage sat back, settling deeper into his chair as he brushed a lock of dark, red hair out of his eyes. "Yes. Kakashi's team is already on their way."

"Then we found something of interest after all," the shadow user said.

Gaara snorted. "What you found will likely trigger a civil war. What matters now is how we go about diffusing the accumulating power before it gains enough strength to crush us."

In the oppressive silence that followed the Kazekage's statement, Sakura worked up the nerve to ask the question that had been nagging at her since their first meeting. "It's the baby, isn't it? They really are creating another Jinchuuriki."

The way his gaze pierced hers was all the confirmation that she needed. The severity of his expression and the hard tone of his voice reminded Sakura of the old Gaara. The glimmer of insanity and blood lust were long gone, but the intensity was enough to make goosebumps prickle along her flesh.

Shifting his attention to Shikamaru, Gaara said, "Your team is under my command for this mission while you are within the Wind Country so I am giving you a new assignment."

Sakura unconsciously braced herself knowing instinctively that whatever Gaara's orders were going to be, she would not like them.

"You are to return to Hitofuki immediately," the Kazekage said, the darkness of his voice taking on a hard edge. "I do not trust Sasuke so he will remain here, Temari will take his place. Kakashi's team should arrive within a day. Upon their arrival, I will have Kankurou guide them to Hitofuki. They will be your backup."

"And what is our objective in Hitofuki?" Shikamaru asked.

"You will continue your charade," Gaara said. "Give whatever excuse you wish for why the two of you have returned there. It doesn't matter. Your mission is to locate Ami and take her into custody. I know it is still too early, but if she has already delivered by the time you arrive, you are to locate her baby."

The Kazekage paused and leaned forward in his seat. Even though Sakura was standing at least four feet away from his desk she felt as though he was looming over her when he leveled his heavy gaze upon her. The weight of his stare caused the tight knot in her belly to constrict painfully.

"At the first opportunity, you must eliminate that infant. Under no circumstances must the Akatsuki be allowed to have a Jinchuuriki under their control."

It took a few seconds for the shock and horror that washed over Sakura's features to be sloppily covered up by forced calm. "But Gaa—" she hastily corrected herself, "K-kazekage-sama, is it really necessary to murder an infant?"

"Yes," was the simple, quick reply.

"Why?" she pressed. "Naruto... you... if we can take the child into custody—"

"You underestimate the Akatsuki."

"You undervalue this baby's life," she hissed, her anger sparked at his condescending tone.

"No, Sakura, I simply value the lives of the tens of thousands of people under my care _more._"

Jaw clenched, the medic-nin narrowed her eyes at the Kazekage and said, "You are talking about an _infant_, Gaara. A child."

He held her gaze silently, each willing the other to see their point-of-view. Stubbornness emboldened her as she refused to be the first one to look away. After a few seconds she realized that she had not only used his name in an informal, discourteous way, but she was arguing with a _kage_. Even her shishou wouldn't put up with such blatant disrespect.

But, he said nothing. Did nothing. As the seconds continued to tick by, Sakura actually thought that he might be reconsidering, but his impassive expression gave nothing away. Then the detached calm of his voice when he finally spoke removed all hope.

"It is imperative that the Akatsuki fails to acquire this Jinchuuriki by any means necessary," he said.

Hand clenched at her sides, Sakura finally tore her gaze from the Kazekage.

"The Akatsuki has seven bijuu," he continued. "The seals used to bind a bijuu inside of a human being are known to cause trauma. The only exception would be the seals that the Uzushiogakure used, but that knowledge died when their village was destroyed." Gaara leaned forward, peering intently at Sakura, "As soon as it was determined that I could host the Shukaku they immediately sealed it within me. My mother was barely seven months pregnant at the time and the jutsu caused her to go into labor. She died shortly after I was born. If this girl is pregnant with a Jinchuuriki it was created using a jutsu that we have not been seen before. I am unwilling to allow the Akatsuki to gain any additional power. This thing is a weapon and and it must be dealt with before it can be used against my people and yours."

Sakura licked her lips and said, "Y-yes, but if we take the infant and Ami we can—"

Gaara held up his hand and she immediately fell silent. "Knowing the history of the Akatsuki and their persistence in reaching their goals, if we take the child alive, they will only work to reclaim it."

"By that logic, perhaps we should ask Naruto to kill himself," Shikamaru said, voicing his opinion for the first time.

Gaara's eyes moved languidly to meet the shadow-user's gaze.

"I agree with Sakura," Shikamaru continued. "The easy course of action would be to eliminate the baby, but we are not in the business of slaughtering children."

The Kazekage smirked. "Only since my rise to Kage status has Suna not been in the business of slaughtering children," Gaara said, ignoring the Leaf medic's shocked expression. "My father, after all, tried to kill me several times. More than anyone, I understand the power we are talking about and I know _you_ understand the price of failure."

He paused, assessing them both as they processed his words. "Remember this: We don't know who is supporting the Akatsuki right now. We don't know who is among their ranks. We don't know if their goals have changed, and if so, what their new objective is. We can only assume that they want what they have always wanted — military, political and economic domination over all of the reigning Feudal Lords, shinobi Kages and elimination of any who oppose them."

Silence reigned and Gaara released a deep sigh as granules of sand circled around him, darting angrily to and fro. "I, too, find the murder of an infant to be distasteful. I do not make this request lightly, nor do I pretend to not understand your resistance to it. My job is to protect my family, my people and what I find even more distasteful is the notion of the Akatsuki gaining more power through a Jinchuuriki of their own creation." His eyes locked with Sakura's for a long moment, he asked, "If you were to succeed in capturing the target alive, would Konoha be willing, and able, to protect it _and_ Naruto?"

Sakura opened her mouth to answer, but Gaara never gave her the opportunity.

"The Akatsuki would not easily give up such a child," he continued. "I will not risk the lives of my people. Neither will your Hokage."

Swallowing hard, the medic-nin asked, "If we take Ami into custody and she is still pregnant?"

"That would be ideal," Gaara said. "We would abort her fetus."

"Without her consent?"

"Yes."

Heart pounding hard in her chest and adrenaline flooding her veins, she quickly curled her hands into fists to prevent anyone from noticing her trembling. She knew she was a tool. She knew her purpose in life was to serve. That's what a shinobi did. In spite of the logic, in spite of the deep sense of knowing that what Gaara said was right in a purely tactical sense, she didn't think she could live with herself if she had to carry out his orders. Not when all Sakura could think about was the naked fear in Ami's eyes when she asked her if she was in danger. Swallowing hard, the pink-haired medic willed herself to maintain an outward facade of calm even while her insides felt like they were melting into a quivering mass of anxiety and horror.

Gaara's expression softened when he caught sight of the slight trembling of her hands. "I am truly sorry to ask this of you, Sakura," he said quietly, "but I see no other option. This is the way with the least amount of bloodshed. We are trading one life for thousands."

"But you know this is wrong," the pink-haired kunoichi whispered. "You know it is! Ami is a victim. Her baby is a victim. There has to be another way."

"This is war," he said, voice gentle but unyielding. "Innocent people die in war. I make no excuses, but the reality is that the Akatsuki has turned what that girl is carrying into a weapon and we have no other choice but to treat it as such."

"That baby is no different than what you once were. You changed! How can you—"

The darkness reflecting in Gaara's expression forced Sakura's words to die in her throat when he said, "I _know, _Sakura_._"

Eyes downcast, she stared at the floor. It was infuriating that she could not argue with his logic. Worse, Shikamaru had barely said a word throughout the entire meeting. Of all the people who might be able to think of an alternative plan, it would be him. The fact that he remained quiet only reinforced what Gaara had already said — there was no other way. She would have to kill a child.

"Your concerns and protests have been heard, but your mission remains unchanged," Gaara said. "If you refuse to follow my orders, I will be forced to find someone else to do it. Protocol stipulates that I will also have to report you to your Hokage and the ruling Council in Konoha for insubordination. If you wish to formally refuse the mission, say so now. Time is short."

"That won't be necessary," Shikamaru said, voice resolute.

"Good," the Kazekage leaned back in his chair. "I trust the two of you will do what is necessary."

Neither Leaf-nin said a word.

With a few quiet words of instruction and a nod toward the door, the Kazekage dismissed them.

• • •

There was a smudge on the opposite side of the window, obscuring his view and generally getting on his nerves. He scowled, and peered past it to focus on the 5-man squad as they made their way down the street and away from him. A trembling of anger at the base of his neck shivered to life and his fingers unconsciously touched the spot where the remnant of Orochimaru's curse remained.

He focused on Sakura, staring hard at the back of her bright pink head. Hands clenched at her sides and back ramrod straight, the medic-nin radiated anger. Sasuke narrowed his eyes as he focused on her, wondering who had sparked her temper and why.

The shadow user fell into step beside her and Sakura tilted her head toward him. Sasuke frowned at their proximity and a dark, foreign emotion that he thought himself incapable of feeling bubbled up inside his chest as he watched them. Without being able to see his lips move, the Sharingan user was unable to discern what Shikamaru was saying and his curiosity was insatiable.

'_She pays too much attention to him,_' he thought when Sakura gave a slight nod and Shikamaru began to speak to Hinata and Shino. '_He's not worth her time._'

Sasuke poured all of his annoyance into his gaze as he stared at the back of Sakura's head. As if feeling his anger, she glanced over her shoulder to peer in his general direction. He knew she couldn't see him, but it gave him a bit of pleasure to see her focus return to him.

Then Shikamaru said something and Sakura's attention was diverted back to the shadow user. That irked Sasuke much more than he expected.

Jaw clenched, he pushed down his anger as he watched the group make their way toward the main village gate. It didn't bother him that his fellow Leaf-nin were leaving him behind. Quite the opposite, actually. What irritated him was the fact that Shikamaru never told any of them the full details of the mission. Not once did he mention that they were investigating a new lead from a recently active Akatsuki. Not once did he hint that they might be on the trail that could eventually lead Sasuke to his brother.

Even worse, Sakura obviously knew these things and didn't tell him, either.

'_She pays too much attention to him._'

And now he was "_confined to Suna Village until further notice._" At least, that was the official order handed down from the Kazekage, but there was more than that. Sasuke wasn't just confined to the village proper, he was now under constant surveillance.

The Sand-nin assigned to him denied it, of course.

_"I'm here assist you, Sasuke-san," the older shinobi had said. "Not spy on you." _

Sasuke knew better. He could feel the eyes upon him, watching. It was a feeling he was well familiar with since his early recovery under Tsunade's care years ago, but being used to the feeling didn't make it any less bothersome. The fact that it was the Sand watching him, instead of the Leaf, exacerbated his ire.

He already knew that the Kazekage did not trust him. Gaara made it quite obvious what he thought of Sasuke and his rehabilitation. As far as he was concerned, the Uchiha survivor should have been executed as a traitor. Which was laughable to Sasuke. After all, how many of his own Sand-nins did Gaara kill before he turned into the pompous, self-righteous asshole otherwise known as 'Kazekage?'

They were all lying to him. Shikamaru, Sakura, Gaara... none of them could be trusted. But Sasuke was certain about one thing: the Akatsuki were moving again. Which meant that his brother was finally coming out of hiding.

And Sasuke wasn't about to let anyone stop him from seeing his brother one last time.

• • •

Dread seemed to coagulate in Sakura's veins, forming a tight lump in her chest when the village came into view. With Temari leading them, the group arrived to Hitofuki much quicker than expected, leaving the medic-nin with considerably less time to mentally prepare herself for the task ahead.

Shikamaru had barely spoken to her since the two of them met with Gaara hours before, save for the few instructions he gave her as they were leaving the village. At first, she interpreted his silence as his way of processing the change to their mission — but with the ease of which he spoke to Temari during their travel, even going so far as to joke with her — Sakura doubted that was the case. Part of her wondered if the shadow user was avoiding her.

The mission parameters had been neatly explained to Hinata and Shino. _"We believe the Akatsuki has an interest in Ami and her baby. We are to prevent them from obtaining them."_

There was no mention of kidnapping, infanticide, forced abortion or any such grisly task. Not that Sakura really wanted to talk about it, but Shikamaru's lack of disclosure perturbed her all the same. She couldn't say that she was surprised by his decision to not tell the others. It would be difficult enough for the two of them to have to go in and carry out the Kazekage's request without having to explain the situation in full detail. Temari would most likely handle that.

But still, it bothered her. Everything seemed to bother her. And her anger only became worse the closer they got to Hitofuki, and much of it was directed toward Shikamaru. Several times while they were checking over the hotel room the two Leaf-nins bumped into each other, causing the annoyance already bubbling inside of Sakura to nearly boil over. It took everything in her to not snap at him when he announced that he was going to take a nap the moment they finished verifying the security of their hotel room.

"Fine. Whatever," Sakura said, waving a dismissive hand in Shikamaru's direction. She didn't bother to look at him. Crouching down next to one of her packs, she began to rummage through her things for a change of clothes. She heard Shikamaru sigh and knew what he was going to ask before he voiced it.

"Are you okay?"

Tension tightened her posture. She measured her words, trying to sound as neutral as possible, "I'm fine."

Sakura could feel him watching her, studying her and she wanted to tell him to mind his own damn business. Anything to get him to leave her alone. She was tired and angry and felt the childish urge to seek solitude specifically so she could pout for a while. When Sakura finally turned to face him fully and met his scrutinizing gaze with an up-raised chin and defiant gleam in her eyes, she mentally dared him to ask her the same question again so she would have an excuse to yell at him. He seemed to read her expression well enough to let the subject drop without another word. This also annoyed her.

Gathering her change of clothes, Sakura locked herself in the bathroom. A good soak always managed to calm her, even on her worst days. She sat in the stillness of the bathtub until the water grew tepid and her fingertips wrinkled, her mind working hard to try and figure out a way to honor the Kazekage's orders without having to kill Ami's baby. Every time she thought of the young woman, the image of her mangled hand and eyes full of fear for Kisho filled her mind. More than anything, Sakura didn't want to cause any more harm to the girl than what she had already been forced to endure.

Unfortunately, as hard as Sakura tried to think of a way to protect Ami and her baby while thwarting the Akatsuki, the more she realized that it was hopeless. The Akatsuki could not be allowed to acquire any more power.

'_I hate this_,' Sakura thought miserably, immediately feeling like the 12-year-old genin she once was. '_It seems like nothing makes sense anymore. Not this mission, not Shikamaru and certainly not myself_.'

Lip caught between her teeth, Sakura bit down until she tasted blood, willing herself not to cry.

'_Shinobi show no emotion,_' her thoughts whispered. '_No emotion_. '

In spite of her internal mantra, her chin continued to quiver. With a muffled whimper, Sakura buried her face in her hands and let herself cry. She did her best to keep her sobs to herself, but the sound of movement beyond the door alerted her that Shikamaru was awake. Holding her breath, she hoped that he'd just go away.

He knocked instead.

"Are you okay?" he asked through the door, concern adding a quality to his voice that caused Sakura's chest to tighten painfully as fresh tears leaked from her eyes. Knowing that she would have to answer him, she forced herself to breathe deeply and calm her emotions. A second knock, more insistent than the first, nearly foiled her attempt.

"Sakura?"

"I'm fine," she snapped, immediately regretting her tone. She hadn't meant to respond to his concern with anger.

Shikamaru said nothing. Instead she heard him move away from the door and Sakura mentally groaned.

As much as it upset her to be ordered to assassinate a baby, her odd relationship with Shikamaru was doing more than its fair share of torture. For days she had been stubbornly reminding herself that the kisses they shared were faked for the benefit of a mission, but still thoughts of him persisted. Attempting a new track, she told herself that the reason she felt drawn to him was simply a temporary fluke due to her self-esteem taking a hit after Sasuke's rejection. After all, she rationalized, it made sense that she would welcome the masculine attention from someone she trusted. If it wasn't Shikamaru, it would have been someone else.

Right?

Sakura slumped deeper into the tub, the water just touching her chin. Even as she thought it, she didn't believe it. In fact, there was a quiet voice of doubt in the back of her mind that was beginning to wonder if she had ever really loved Sasuke at all. Surely if she had truly been 'in love' with him her attraction toward Shikamaru wouldn't feel quite so strong. Ino once told Sakura that she was "in love with being in love" to explain her refusal to move past Sasuke. The comment had caused a major argument and before the end, Ino took back her words and never mentioned it again.

Now Sakura wondered if that wasn't true. She couldn't deny her attraction for him. Not when thoughts of him plagued her so much, and certainly not after witnessing the camaraderie shared between Temari and Shikamaru as the group traveled from Suna Village to Hitofuki. It was watching the two of them that ultimately sent Sakura's mood into a tailspin.

She was jealous.

And if she was jealous that could only mean that her attraction had nothing to do with the pretext of posing as his wife or her bruised ego from Sasuke's rejection. She simply wanted _him_. All of her hard work rationalizing every 'weird' thing she had been feeling and thinking about was actually real. Sakura really was starting to fall for the lazy, chauvinistic jerk. Hell, she even _wanted_ to kiss him. She wanted to continue what she started on the last night of the Romance Festival.

But even more than that, she wanted him to feel all those things about her, too.

She grimaced. Just thinking about it made her feel like a lovesick teenager again. Which she did not need. Not after Sasuke. Not during this mission. Not while her self-confidence was still shaky and her ethics and morals as a medic-nin were being strained to the breaking point.

The last thing she needed was a damn crush.

Stepping out of the tub, Sakura dried herself off and slowly pulled on her clothes. She would have to get her thoughts focused and apologize to Shikamaru for being so grumpy. He really didn't deserve her anger and she felt terrible for her behavior since returning to Hitofuki. Already planning what she would tell him and what she would not, she did her best to hide the evidence of her earlier tears. She would explain that Gaara, their horrible mission, and the Akatsuki were the reasons for her recent behavior. Her growing fondness for him and the jealousy she felt toward his relationship with Temari would be avoided at all costs.

• • •

Shikamaru sat on the corner of the bed staring at the bathroom door as he pondered what to do about the woman locked away inside. He debated knocking again, but hesitated.

'_At least she seems to have stopped crying_,' he thought. '_But she is taking a damn long time in there..._'

Mind made up, he stood and took a step toward the bathroom when the door suddenly opened. Steam rolled out as Sakura stood before him. He frowned as he studied her. She was barefoot, her petite body dwarfed by the oversized shirt and pants she wore as bed clothes. Her green eyes were puffy and bright from crying and her face was still flushed from her bath. Damp, pink hair hung around her face, causing her features to appear strangely gaunt and her expression somewhat haunted.

"Sakura..?" he asked, his voice reflecting his concern.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. She met his gaze for only a few seconds before peering down at her toes. "I know I've been moody, and... I'm sorry. This whole thing has me a bit out of sorts."

He studied her intently, wondering why she refused to maintain eye contact with him. The corners of his lips dipped downward as a shadow of a scowl darkened his features.

"Okay."

Sakura seemed to deflate at his one-word response and he wondered what she had expected him to say. When she moved to stand in front of the mirror and comb her damp hair, he decided he was curious enough to give the subject a slight nudge.

"What's going on?" he asked, lowering himself on the edge of the bed again and peering at her through the mirror.

"What do you mean?"

"You," he said, gesturing toward her. "What's going on in your head? You've been preoccupied."

"I told you ," she said, a little too quickly. "The mission — Ami..."

He observed her quietly, noting her continued refusal to meet his gaze. "I see."

Only then did she glance at his reflection in the mirror, her expression clearly annoyed, but she remained silent.

"Anything else on your mind that I should know about? I get the sense that you're only telling me what you think I want to hear."

"Is the Squad Leader concerned that I might be distracted and unable to perform my duties properly?" she asked, voice clipped.

Shikamaru sighed and turned his gaze toward the ceiling. He knew she was upset about Gaara's orders. He had intended to discuss it with her before they left Suna, but the opportunity never arose. And when they finally did arrive in Hitofuki, her behavior toward him was so closed off and borderline hostile that he decided that the best thing to do would be to keep his distance for a while.

It was becoming quite obvious that something else was bothering her — something she clearly didn't want to talk about — and it had nothing to do with Gaara's orders. He just needed to figure out if he should press her about it or leave it alone. Either way, it would be troublesome. Women were always troublesome.

Finished with her hair, she began to gather medical herbs and supplies from hidden pockets within her pack and carefully laid them out on a wide, ivory-colored mat on the floor in the far corner of the room. His interest was piqued when she pulled out a scroll and summoned even more medical supplies. Including a light gray porcelain mortar and pestle.

"What are you doing?" he asked as she began to measure out ingredients.

She answered without looking at him. "Making poison."

"Oh?"

She began to grind some plant material together in the mortar.

"What kind of poison?" he pressed.

"It's really a medication used to induce labor," she stated. Shikamaru recognized her tone as the voice she used when performing her medical duties. "I'm adding a strong sedative and a few toxins to it that should depress the circulatory system of the fetus and cause it to die during delivery."

He frowned. "What will that do to Ami?"

"Hopefully nothing," she said. "But if I give her too large of a dose, it could kill her."

After several seconds of nothing but the distinct sound of her grinding ingredients together, he asked, "You're okay with this?"

She paused, catching his gaze with a dark glare. "Of course I'm not okay with this!"

The air felt heavy as they peered at each other, each carefully studying the other. After the moment stretched out uncomfortably long, Sakura was the first to look away and the grinding resumed.

"I'm not okay with it, either, Sakura."

"You have an odd way of showing it."

"What is that supposed to mean?" he asked.

Jaw clenched and lips forming a tight line, she picked up a small ceramic spoon and began to transfer the pulverized plant material into a waiting glass dish.

Shikamaru sighed as he sat down beside her, careful not to disturb her work. She wasn't kidding when she said she was moody. Had the situation been different, the shadow user would have been content to let her calm down on her own, but now he had no choice. It was quite obvious that she thought it would be her job to eliminate the target, which was something he had decided she would have no part of while they were still in Suna.

"I wish you would have talked to me before beginning this project of yours," Shikamaru said.

"And why is that?" she asked in a dry tone as she reached for what appeared to be dried flower petals. She crushed them with her hand and sprinkled them into her concoction.

"Because it is unnecessary," he said. "Though I suppose it will be a good backup alternative should I fail."

She looked up at him, expression puzzled. "What do you mean, 'should you fail?'"

"When the Kazekage gave us his orders," he said, rubbing the back of his head, "he may have intended for you to be the one to fulfill them, but I do not."

Sakura sat back and gaped at him. Then her eyes narrowed, "Why?"

"I don't think it would be appropriate."

"You don't think I can do it."

He scowled. "I never said that."

"Then what do you mean, specifically?"

"You're a medic-nin, Sakura," he said with a sigh. "The last thing I'm going to ask you to do is kill an infant. I know you're more than capable of completing a mission as required."

She stared at him, jaw clenched and lips pressed together to form a tight, thin line. Her frustration was obvious. He expected her to say something snide, but instead her eyes began to brighten with fresh tears. This only seemed to anger her more. She struggled against them, but Shikamaru sensed it was inevitable. The realization only deepened his scowl. He didn't want to make her cry.

"Don't... I mean..." he paused, feeling helpless as her countenance continued to crumble before him. "This isn't about your ability," he said, breaking eye contact with her to scrutinize the forgotten mortar and pestle beside her. "I mean... damn, Sakura. I don't know why you would think that anyone would think you incapable of _anything_. Everyone knows that you're a Chuunin by rank, not by skill. The only reason you aren't a Jounin — or even ANBU — is because the Hokage trains you so hard and the hospital is always in need of you. That's a problem of time, not skill or ability."

He glanced at her out of the corners of his eyes and saw that Sakura's anger appeared to deflate, but the tears still threatened. She stubbornly blinked them back. The corners of Shikamaru's lips quirked upwards into what he hoped to be something close to an encouraging smile.

"I have never doubted you," he confessed quietly. "I just don't want you to have to do something like that. I don't want you to have the death of that baby on your conscious. I will carry that burden, not you."

Shikamaru didn't realize that she had moved until he felt her arms wrap around him in a tight hug. A tear-stained face pressed into his chest as deceptively delicate hands curled into the fabric of his shirt. Sakura's body gently shook as she cried against him. He held her awkwardly, uncertain if he should say something or simply hold her. Silence, he decided, was probably the safest course of action. He lifted his hand and gently stroked her disheveled, pink hair, trying not to be too jerky with his movements. His ministrations seemed to have the effect he wanted as she began to relax against him.

"I'm sorry," she muttered into his shirt, voice miserable and sheepish. "I shouldn't have... I didn't mean to act like that."

"Don't worry about it," he said as her arms began to loosen around him, indicating her intent to let him go.

Her green eyes peered up at him when she finally pulled away. Face still flushed from crying and pink hair sticking out at odd angles, she offered him a small, embarrassed smile. Seemingly of their own volition, his hands were wiping away the last of her tears and tucking loose strands of pink hair behind her ears. Her smile turned grateful and shy and Shikamaru felt drawn in. Tracing his finger from her earlobe, down her jaw to her chin, he tilted her head upwards.

He wanted to kiss her. His intention when he pinched her chin was to do just that. And he knew that she wanted him to kiss her, too. He could feel her anticipation. It lapped against him in waves, inviting him. The temptation was almost too much, but he knew if he gave in there could be far more troublesome problems than if he simply let the moment go.

Pulling his hand away, he struggled to think of something to say to diffuse the tension between them when Sakura spoke.

"What... what was that?" she whispered.

The shadow-user regarded her, but said nothing. Her bravery seemed to ebb away under his overly analytical gaze, but she did not look away. Then it all changed. One moment, Sakura appeared uncertain and hesitant and the next she was scrutinizing him with eyes narrowed. Her anger felt distinctly familiar to what he sensed from her when they first arrived.

"What are you doing?" Sakura asked, voice low.

Shikamaru frowned.

"There's no one here," she whispered fiercely. "The festival is over. There are no witnesses. No one to fool."

"Sakura..."

"What was that just now?"

He hesitated.

"Don't _do_ that," she whispered. "You confuse me when you do that."

"I'm confusing you?" he scoffed.

She glared at him. "Tell me I'm crazy then. Tell me I'm acting like a genin on her first mission. Tell me I'm seeing things, and feeling things, that aren't real." Leaning toward him, she whispered, "Tell me that I just imagined that you wanted to kiss me a few seconds ago."

"Sakura, now isn't—"

"No! I want to know," she insisted. "You look at me like that... the touches... and then you pull back." She peered at him sharply, as though trying to see into him. "You don't seem like the type to play with someone and I seriously doubt you're that good of an actor, Shikamaru. Just tell me the truth and be done with it. What are you doing? How am I supposed to respond? Please, I need to know."

He clenched his jaw. "I explained it when you were healing me—"

"No," she said, cutting him off. "You told me to 'forget about it.' Obviously I haven't. And from what I've seen, you haven't, either. So spell it out for me."

Jaw clenched, he glared at her. They exchanged hard stares for several seconds before Shikamaru reached for her, closing the distance between them. The kiss was as intense as it was sudden. There was no hesitation on her part when their lips met. Her hands snaked up his arms and around his neck as her lips parted to allow their tongues to touch.

His hands slowly explored the top of her thighs, the roundness of her hips and the curve of her waist. When his thumbs finally brushed against her breasts he felt a shiver run through her. The movement, though subtle, was dangerously inviting, especially when he realized she wasn't wearing a bra. Scenarios churned through his mind as he considered what he should do next. To continue down this path meant possibly doing something both of them may regret — but to stop now seemed just as troublesome.

Lowering his hands back down to her waist, he forced himself to break the kiss and pressed his forehead against hers. Eyes closed, he sighed.

"I'm confusing _you,_" he murmured, a hint of mocking in his tone.

Sakura stiffened under his hands, "Y-yes."

He smirked, still holding her. "You confuse me," he said, opening his eyes to peer into hers.

"How do I..?"

"I _like_ kissing you, Sakura," he said, interrupting her. "I'd like to kiss you again. And more."

Sakura felt herself blush and the corner of his mouth quirked upwards.

"Kissing you is a troublesome thing, even if I wasn't your squad leader and we weren't on a mission together," he pulled back from her, breaking the contact between them. "I think you carry too much memory. I doubt anyone can compete."

She hesitated for a moment, then, "You mean Sasuke."

"I don't want to be the man you use to get over Uchiha," he specified. "And there is the fact that I am your squad leader. You are a student and assistant to the Hokage. You know the rules."

"I'm not using you. And I don't..." she paused. "Sasuke doesn't see me. He never has."

He quirked a brow at her, "Doesn't he?"

Sakura's eyebrows scrunched together as she gave him a questioning look. "You really think that?"

"I know that," he said, then sighed. "But it doesn't matter. The point is, you still see him. Don't you?"

Her mouth opened and closed wordlessly. Then she shook her head. Sakura's inability to verbally answer his question was all Shikamaru needed to know that he was right. While she very well may be on the road to getting over Saskue, he was certain that she still had some feelings for him, confused as they may be.

'_If things were different_,' the shadow user thought, '_I'd not waste this opportunity_.'

Silence reigned between them as Sakura stared holes into the floor. Resisting the urge to touch her again, Shikamaru pushed himself to his feet.

"Is that it?" Sakura asked, still not looking at him.

He sighed. "Yeah. I think so."

"Because of Sasuke?"

Returning to his spot on the bed, he said, "The way you are now, a relationship between the two of us would never work. It would be troublesome and we'd just end up resenting each other. I'd rather not let that happen."


	12. the telling truth

**dawning**

**.:the telling truth:.**  
chapter twelve

* * *

_"I don't want to be the man you use to get over Sasuke."_

The words he spoke to her after kissing her replayed itself in her mind incessantly for most of the night. A mix of guilt and disappointment rushed through her when she first heard them, and then a small amount of flattery. For Shikamaru to say such a thing clearly meant that he was sincerely interested in her and that he had been thinking about her. Possibly as much as she had been thinking about him. But what he said held so much insight into _her_ that she couldn't help but feel shallow. Sakura didn't like to think of herself as being shallow. As a result, she spend most of the night staring at the darkened ceiling as she dissected her feelings.

Was she using him to get over Sasuke? Her immediate answer to his statement was denial, but she would be lying to herself if she claimed to not find comfort and reassurance in his attentions. But wasn't that normal? While it was true that it had barely been two weeks since she had woken up in Sasuke's bed, it was also true that she had finally come to realize the truth of what her shishou, Naruto and Ino had been telling her for years: Sasuke was not the same person he was when he was a genin.

And as much as she really hated to admit it, Ino had been right when she said that Sakura was '_in love with being in love._'

But did that automatically mean that she was using Shikamaru to get over Sasuke? Or, was it more accurate to say that being with Shikamaru had finally opened her eyes and gave her some much needed perspective?

Long after midnight, when she should have been deep into REM sleep, Sakura had her epiphany. She wanted more than friendship from Shikamaru. She wanted to explore their budding relationship. She wanted to be with him. But before she could take that first step, she owed it to him to have a sincere and open heart with as little self-created baggage as possible. A romantic relationship with Sasuke was in the past, and it would remain there.

Mind made up, Sakura felt a wave of relief flow through her body. She hadn't realized how much tension she had been storing until that moment and she almost laughed into the darkened hotel room from the absurdity of it all. It felt good to finally know what she wanted, and once their mission was over and they were back in Konoha, she would tell Shikamaru everything.

Even now, with the curtain-filtered light of the morning sun brightening their hotel room in a cheerful glow, Sakura still felt at peace with her decision, but that was the only thing she felt good about. Try as she might, she could not ignore the heavy sense of foreboding that sat squarely in the pit of her stomach since she first dragged herself out of bed. Worse, she could feel the beginnings of a tension headache coming on. As she went through her morning ritual to get ready for the day, she tried to keep her attitude positive, but Shikamaru had noticed her internalized anxiety anyway. He didn't question her. Instead he had naturally assumed that her sleepless night had more to do with Ami than him.

At least that much she could hide from him. For now.

Stifling a yawn, Sakura checked her reflection in the mirror to verify that the wire she had hidden under her clothing was completely concealed. Making one minor adjustment, she straightened her collar and quietly groaned when she noticed that the puffiness around her eyes had not faded as she had hoped.

'_Stress tends to do that,_' she told herself as she scowled at her reflection.

Being accustomed to working long hours with little rest, waking up with swollen, blood-shot eyes was nothing new. But usually after a nice, hot shower and breakfast, the puffiness would fade on its own. Unfortunately the emotional stress of the past 24 hours was beginning to take its toll. Soaking a washcloth in cold water, she pressed the fabric against her eyes and sighed. Regardless of all of her extensive medical training and abilities with chakra-enhanced treatments, she still found the best way to deal with swollen eyes was to simply use a cold compress.

The brewing headache was a different matter entirely.

Still pressing the washcloth against her face, she leaned against the counter of the small, mirrored alcove and listened to the muffled sounds of running water as Shikamaru showered in the closed bathroom. After today, it should all be over. All they had to do was find Ami, take her into custody, and eliminate the fetus. While it may not fall to Sakura to kill the infant, she had every intention of doing everything within her power to ensure Ami's safety and good health. The girl would survive and recover — and hopefully, she would have the chance to return to normal, civilian life and be able to have a real family in the future.

She would make certain of it.

Checking her reflection in the mirror, Sakura was satisfied that the cold compress had done its job., she molded chakra to her fingertips and began to gently massaged her temples. Just as the pain began to lessen she heard the gentle squeak of the shower being turned off. In a few moments, Shikamaru would finish drying himself off and would need to use the mirrored alcove, too. Unfortunately, she wasn't quite prepared to give it up. Cursing under her breath, she immediately stopped treating her headache and whirled around to finish getting ready. Cheeks flushed, she secured her headband in place and applied a couple quick coats of her favorite waterproof mascara. Just as she was about to rub a bit of gloss on her lower lip the door opened. Hair wet and loose around his shoulders, Shikamaru wore only a pair of clean pants as he stood before her.

"Did you have enough hot water?" Sakura asked, taking a reflexive step back to create more personal space between them. The corner of his lip twitched upwards when he stood before her and she had to force herself not to stare at him. Or at least try to make it obvious that she wasn't.

He met her gaze with a nod, "It was fine."

His nearness, combined with his lack of clothing and the slight curl of his lips felt distinctly compelling to Sakura. He looked quite kissable at that moment and she found her eyes straying to his lips.

"Today is going to be a long day," he said, "And no matter what happens, I can guarantee that the council is going to be pissed."

Sakura's eyes flew up to meet his. At that moment she realized that she had been staring — _ogling_ — and worse, she had been leaning toward him. Embarrassment immediately colored her cheeks. He had spoken specifically to pull her back to reality and now he was looking at her with a knowing and amused expression that made her insides quiver. Schooling her expression as best she could, Sakura stepped away from the mirrored alcove to allow him access to the sink and counter.

"The council thrives on being upset about anything and everything," she said, flicking a speck of lint from the hem of her shirt. "If they aren't upset about this operation, they'll find something else to be upset about."

"But this will upset them especially."

Sakura pressed her lips together in silent agreement. It was no secret that the council wanted strong diplomatic ties with the Earth Country. Strong ties meant a better chance to renegotiate a more favorable trade agreement for the Fire Country, but now that was an impossibility. Without proof that the Tsuchikage is untrustworthy, Konoha will appear as an aggressor for following an Akatsuki lead into the Earth Country that cost the lives of Earth shinobi.

"Do you think it will matter to the council that we have evidence that the Akatsuki is active again?" she asked.

Shikamaru glanced at her as he rubbed a towel against his head to dry his hair, "No, but I'm sure Tsunade is already thinking up a plan to deal with them. She seems to be able to find ways to placate them without too much compromise or sacrifice on her part."

Sakura lifted a curious brow. The tone of Shikamaru's voice caught her a bit by surprise. She knew that he trusted their hokage. Everyone loyal to her did. But there was a quality to his voice that stood out. Something that both amused her and gave her pause.

"You like her," Sakura said, eying at his reflection in the mirror.

"Eh?"

"Tsunade-shishou," she clarified. "You really like her."

"I _admire_ her," he corrected. "Sometimes I don't really like her at all. She's bossy."

She chuckled. "Of course she's bossy, but she is a wonderful Hokage and Shishou."

"You seemed surprised," he noted as he began to gather his hair into his trademark ponytail. "Did you think that I disliked her?"

"No, but I wouldn't have guessed that you admired her. Naruto told me that you consider women in positions of power to be troublesome." She sighed, "I guess I thought you would be indifferent toward her."

Shikamaru snorted, "I said that before ever meeting the woman. I'm surprised he remembered."

Sakura caught his eye in the mirror and gave him a questioning look.

"I won't deny that I think that women easily prone to emotion are troublesome — regardless of their status," he shrugged. "And, honestly, most women are prone to emotion."

"Wow," she said dryly. "That _almost_ didn't sound chauvinist at all."

Shikamaru craned his neck to glance at her over his shoulder. "How am I a chauvinist?"

Sakura stared, then laughed. "You can't be serious!"

"You're talking about the Jounin exam, right?"

"And the Chuunin exam, and the off-handed comments you make from time-to-time," she said. "And how about that annoyed expression you got every time I suggested that we switch sleeping arrangements—"

"Well that's because your suggestion was annoying," he said.

"Trying to be considerate annoys you?"

Frowning, he sighed. "It's... _improper_."

"How is it improper? It's fair."

He rolled his eyes. "This conversation is pointless and troublesome. You're going to believe what you want to believe regardless of what I say."

"That's because I'm right," she huffed. "You can't tell me that women are troublesome because most are prone to emotion and then ask, 'How am I a chauvinist?' That's ridiculous. Look at Naruto. He's more prone to emotion than most women."

"Naruto is troublesome, too."

She smirked at him. "You know I'm right."

"Why is it you don't complain when I open doors for you?" he asked.

Sakura blinked. "Huh?"

Not bothering to repeat himself, Shikamaru turned toward her and leaned against the wall, hands in his pockets, waiting... shirtless.

Refusing to give in to any physical attraction that she felt toward him she stubbornly kept her eyes locked on his face. Unfortunately her body still managed to betray her. She could feel a delicate blush rising on her cheeks.

"Th-that's different."

"How is it different?" he asked.

She knew she was stuck. Shikamaru had set her up with the old stand-by counter argument that all men with half a brain seemed to make when a woman claimed sexism. And she had walked right into it. Stupid. Seeing that she was unwilling to explain the differences, Shikamaru smirked. The self-satisfied curl of his lips snapped Sakura out of her stupor.

"You open doors for me because we were supposed to be a couple."

"I did it in Konoha, too," he countered. "You never complained. Nor did Ino, Tenten, Hinata... I can go on, but I think you get my point."

"Courtesy isn't the issue here," she defended. She knew her arguments were lacking in strength but it was hard to focus with a well-built man who could literally kiss her senseless standing half naked not six feet from her. And, good grief, they were alone in a hotel room and she was sitting on a _bed_.

'_Now who's the sexist?_' she thought to herself. '_I'm the one trying not to stare at him like a piece of meat..._'

"You brought it up," he said. "You're the one who mentioned the sleeping arrangements."

"Ino told me you never complained more than when you had to fight women during the Chuunin and Jounin exams."

He laughed. "In case you didn't notice it, I tend to complain about a lot of things."

Sakura snorted. "You're not getting my point," she said. "You act like fighting women is beneath you. That's where your reputation comes from."

"People really think that _I_ think that fighting women is _beneath_ me?" he asked, disbelief coloring his tone. "Did you see the women I had to fight? Did you notice how all of them were better skilled than I was?"

She sighed and Shikamaru grinned. The amused curl of his lips annoyed her. How could he not see what everyone else saw? Or did he think the entire thing was a joke?

"Women and men are different," he said and Sakura promptly rolled her eyes.

"You mean aside from the obvious?" she asked with a mocking tone and his amused expression immediately turned into a scowl.

"Yes," he said, arms crossing over his chest as he prepared to explain himself. "I don't think one gender is superior to the other, but I do think that one gender can have advantages over the other. And the reason I complained about having to fight women during the Chuunin and Jounin exam is because I _knew_ that they were better fighters. And hitting a woman is just wrong anyway—"

"Ha-HA!" Bright green eyes shined with victory as Sakura pointed at him. "That's my point! None of the women you fought were defenseless. Not one!"

He shrugged, the gesture so languid that the medic-nin felt it was dismissive. She ground her teeth in annoyance.

"I never said they were," he said. "What's your point?"

Sakura huffed. "You're fighting against a woman but you don't respect her enough to be willing to fight her on equal terms."

"You mean, punch her?"

"Of course."

"I've attempted to strangle a woman on the battlefield using my shadow techniques," he said with a half smirk. "Does that count?"

She rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean."

"But I don't typically punch anybody," he shrugged. "Not my style."

Sakura felt her hackles rise with every shrug that Shikamaru sent her way. It was beginning to wear on her last nerve. Eyes narrowed, she said, "You're deflecting."

Shikamaru lifted a brow at her, then rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm really not," he said. "In both the Chuunin and Jounin exams I knew that I would not be able to beat my opponents with normal fighting. Women tend to fight smarter than men. That's why kunoichi make good assassins and spies and men are used to kill people and break things. If you're going to fight a woman and beat her, you have to be prepared to win by doing more than physically overpowering her. You need to outsmart them."

He paused, then his expression became amused. "Besides, losing to a girl is embarrassing. You should cut me a break, I was 12-years-old."

"You weren't twelve for your Jounin exam," she said, clearly not willing to let him off the hook.

"Think what you want," he shrugged. "You will anyway."

Sakura bit back the urge to hit him. "I see. So the way you beat them was really just a twisted compliment that no one got."

He smirked, then gave a dismissive shrug. _Again_. It was at that moment then she caught the amused gleam in his eyes. He was thoroughly enjoying their little debate. The shrugs weren't meant to be dismissive at all. Whether he realized it or not, he was using body language to egg her on. And it was working.

'_Good grief, he's the kind of guy that likes to play fight. Ino never said that about him..._'

"I suppose that is one way to look at it," he agreed.

"You're rationalizing," she said.

"I'm not. What I say is true."

Sakura lifted a brow at him, waiting for him to continue.

"Look, in a battle of pure strength and skill, women are typically at a disadvantage," he said. "Unless there is some kind of weird biological anomaly, men, pound for pound, are stronger than women and tend to have a larger pool of chakra to draw on. That's a fact. The Chuunin tournament fights weren't designed to showcase kunoichi skill. They were designed with the shinobi in mind. So men automatically have the advantage. To compensate, women have to fight smarter than their male counterparts.

"A lot of men make the mistake of thinking that they can defeat a woman by simply overpowering her physically, but a good kunoichi doesn't let that happen. They won't engage a man in a battle where that could occur — not unless they've been specifically trained to have an insane amount of strength, but even that strength isn't real. It's chakra. Which just proves my point. Women have to fight smarter than men. If they don't, they lose."

Listening to Shikamaru explain the differences between shinobi and kunoichi reminded Sakura of some of the lessons that Tsunade-shishou had taught. To survive on the battlefield, to be a good medic-nin, to protect those you care for, you have to be smarter than your opponent. Especially if you're a woman.

"If I fought on their terms, I would have lost," he continued. "It's ridiculous to expect someone not to use their own natural abilities to their advantage. I'm smart, they were better skilled. I couldn't beat them with skill, so I beat them in a battle of wits. I don't see how that's sexist."

"So if you had to fight a man—"

His chuckle cut her off.

"It would depend on who that man was," he said. "If I had to go up against Neji during the chuunin exam I would have given up right off the bat. Kiba? I would have won."

"So you're saying that you walked into the chuunin exam already knowing who you would have been able to beat and who you would have lost to?"

"Didn't you?" he asked.

Sakura felt her cheeks flush, "N-not really. I didn't enter the exam for the right reasons."

"But you fought Ino for the right reasons."

"Yes."

"Your problem back then was that you didn't have a real style. Ino uses mind techniques. Lee uses taijutsu. Neji has the Byakugan," he stepped toward her, close enough that she could see a pair of faded scars that criss-crossed his upper chest. Scars that she wouldn't have allowed to form had she been the one to heal him. For the briefest of moments, Sakura felt the urge to trace her finger tip along its length and she felt her heart quicken at the thought.

"You were still trying to figure out what suited you best while the rest of us already knew," Shikamaru continued, his voice dragging her eyes away from his scars to focus on his eyes. "So you were at a disadvantage. Naruto, too, I think."

For several moments, neither of them said a word. Each peered at the other while waiting to see what would happen next. When the silence stretched out too long, Sakura was the first to react. Ducking her head down, she cleared her throat - then the weirdness of the conversation struck her and she chuckled.

"What?" he asked.

"You're very good at this," Sakura said, voice cheeky. "You might wish to consider going into politics."

Shikamaru blinked at her.

"You've managed to turn my arguments about your chauvinism into compliments about kunoichi skill," she smirked at him. "You're really very good. I didn't expect any of that at all. Next time you won't catch me by surprise."

His features lifted into an amused grin. "Were we competing for something, Sakura?" he asked. "What did I win?"

He was flirting with her. Even after last night and the speech about Sasuke, he was flirting with her. His playfulness made her grin.

"You won not getting punched in the face," she said, expression playful as she finally gave in to her desire to touch him and gently poked his chest with her forefinger. "I was real tempted there for a while."

He hmmed, then said, "You know, I didn't say anything that I didn't already believe. If that comes across as chauvinist to some people, that's not my problem."

"I believe you," she agreed, "but that's not what I was talking about. I meant that you're very good at deflecting barbs."

He snorted. "It comes from years of watching my parents 'debate' things. You're as good and as quick as my mother in that regard, but she can be downright scary at times. That was a lot to dodge."

Sakura didn't know if she should take that was a compliment or not. Judging from the tone of his voice, she guessed that he didn't intend it in a derogatory way even though her first reaction was toward the negative. The Nara clan was well known for their extreme intelligence and resourcefulness. Shikamaru's mother may have married into the clan, but she was no exception.

Watching him move to his bag and pull out a tiny radio transmitter and fresh shirt, Sakura grinned. It was a strange way to pay her a compliment, but it was a compliment none-the-less.

• • •

It was still early in the morning. The air was a comfortable temperature and the breeze coming in from the west felt quite favorable. Much to Shikamaru's pleasure, there were a smattering of fat clouds in the sky. They moved lazily overhead, casting long shadows over them as the pair made their way down the street.

It was eerie how quiet and empty the streets were. Not three days ago the world felt narrow and loud as bodies pushed past each other and voices competed to be heard. Now Shikamaru could clear his throat and hear the sound of it echo off of the buildings around them. The once bustling city now felt more like a ghost town.

"It's like the Romance Festival never happened," Sakura remarked beside him, her quiet words mirroring his thoughts.

"Yeah," he murmured as they approached the park near the center of town.

"Are we going to try the residential area or the restaurant first?" she asked.

The shadow user frowned. The residential area was not a place that either one of them were overly familiar with. They scouted the area enough to know the basic layout of the buildings and streets, but the district was still largely unknown. It was one thing to engage a target in a public place like a restaurant, and something else entirely to engage them at their place of residence. If a shinobi felt safe enough at a location to sleep there then it was likely that the place was well defended and obviously dangerous. It was considered a general rule of thumb to avoid confrontation at such locations. It was for that reason that Shikamaru had avoided the residential district. Not only would they be in territory more likely to favor the enemy, but they would be far more conspicuous there.

But, time was of the essence.

"We'll split up for a while. We can cover more ground that way while still keeping an eye on the restaurant," he said. "You will stake out Gekkani and I'll explore the residential area."

It was Sakura's turn to frown. "Is that wise?"

Shikamaru gave her sideways glance.

"Splitting up at a time like this..?" she continued.

"You'd stand out like a sore thumb in the residential district," he said. "Your coloring doesn't exactly say 'native to the Wind Country.'"

Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Plus," Shikamaru continued. "I have more experience dealing with the citizens of the Wind Country than you do."

"Fine."

"You're wired and set?" he asked.

"I am," she gently pulled at her collar, showing Shikamaru a hint of skin and black wire.

"Good."

Straightening out her collar, she gave him a sidelong glance. "And if I see Ami?"

"Contact me immediately," he said. "Do not go inside the restaurant. Do not confront her. Trail her. We have to assume that Kisho is an agent of the Akatsuki. I'd rather complete our mission without revealing our presence to him if possible."

"Don't confront her? Even if tagging her is safe?"

"No," he said. "We have to assume the worst. I'd rather we do this together with backup at the ready. Less troublesome that way in case she has 'friends' watching her."

"Understood."

A familiar crunch of static filled her ears when Shikamaru switched his radio microphone on. He quickly adjusted it, changing the settings to "push to talk" rather than a voice-activated broadcast. Sakura quickly did the same.

"Maintain radio silence after this transmission unless in the case of an emergency," he said, his voice broadcasting to the remaining members of their squad waiting just outside the village borders. Glancing at he watch, he continued, "Mark 0700 hours. Check in time is 1000 hours." He paused a few seconds, eying the second hand on his watch. Then, "_Mark._ Over and out."

The radio silent, Shikamaru tried to catch Sakura's eye only to see her gazing at something beyond him with an odd, reflective expression lighting her face. A half smile lifted her features.

Curious, Shikamaru followed her gaze and caught sight of an old woman tending a rose bush. Graying brown hair caught up in a tight bun and her back pointed in his direction, the woman carefully trimmed away the old flowers while avoiding the developing pink buds that grew beside them. Her hands worked with a swift confidence that reminded Shikamaru of Ino's mother. Raising and caring for flowers was an exercise in patience, especially in the harsh climate of the Wind Country.

The woman turned, revealing her profile and he recognized her at once. She was the same old woman who sold them roses on their second night in Hitofuki. Glancing back at Sakura, he caught her looking at him with a delicate pink tinge to her cheeks. Then she smiled at him, wide and dimpling. The smile was not that unlike the one she rewarded him with when he gave her the three rose buds.

"I guess I'll meet you later then," she said.

Shikamaru nodded and watched her walk away. '_There are times when even scary women, like your mom, can smile warmly..._' The shadow user smirked as he was reminded of his father's words from years ago.

'_How true indeed_.'

• • •

A flash of gold and black caught her eye and Sakura turned her head in time to catch a butterfly maneuver toward a flowering shrub near the entrance of Gekkani. '_Danaus chrysippus,_' the medic-nin thought, instantly identifying the insect as it gorged itself on nectar. It was a very common butterfly for the Wind Country, but not often seen in her homeland.

Belly full, the butterfly took to the air once more and the medic-nin was back to staring at an empty building on a nearly empty street. She sighed. Using the same invisibility jutsu and sitting perched on the roof of the building directly across from the restaurant, Sakura couldn't help but remember when she and Shikamaru had first conducted surveillance on Gekkani. At that time he had insisted that she sit in his lap.

Checking her watch, Sakura noted that she had 40 minutes to go before she was expected to check in with Shikamaru. Hopefully he was having better luck than her. The restaurant wasn't scheduled to open until noon, but already two men that Sakura knew to be cooks and a busboy had arrived and let themselves in. She could see the lone busboy through the windows as he swept the floors.

Sakura sighed. All in all, nothing seemed out-of-the-ordinary. Without the Romance Festival going on, the village of Hitofuki was quite plain and felt very empty.

Shifting her weight and pushing an errant lock of hair out of her eyes, a familiar flash of gold and black caught her attention. Sakura glanced to her left and saw another butterfly of the same species fly by her just out of reach. It moved slowly, deliberately through the air; its delicate wings beating silently.

Sakura sensed the danger before she felt it. Green eyes widening, her body suddenly tensed in preparation for battle as she summoned her chakra to her extremities. It was then that the butterfly winked at her. Its body seemed to shimmer as the gold gave way to black.

'_Genjutsu!_'

Focusing her chakra and quickly bringing her hands together to form the proper seal, Sakura resisted the jutsu with a single word. "Kai!"

The malicious chakra wavered for a moment, but refused to be pushed back completely. Seconds felt like hours as she sensed the enemy chakra swirl around her, seeking a weakness in her defenses. Reaching for the microphone secured near her throat, Sakura pressed the button and hissed, "Shikamaru!"

The enemy chakra shifted and pressed against her. Instinctively, Sakura knew that another genjutsu was being weaved around her. A dark haze threatened to cloud her vision and she suddenly felt off balance and queasy. Struggling to regain her equilibrium, she concentrated on stabilizing her chakra as she worked to protect her mind from the genjutsu. When she failed to sense the familiar sense of calm and control that came from a successful defense against illusion, Sakura had a very good idea of whom she was dealing with. With her perfect chakra control and natural affinity for genjutsu, there were very few people who could overwhelm her with the technique.

'_Damnit____!_'

"Shikamaru," she repeated his name into her radio microphone. "I need you! Now!"

Static was her only reply.

"Shikamaru..!"

Sakura forced her chakra flow to change directions as she scanned the area for the enemy shinobi. She knew her attempts at defense would only prolong the inevitable. And she couldn't help but wonder if she was merely being toyed with as a delay tactic. Jaw clenched, stubborn resolve hardened in her belly as she attempted to locate her enemy. If there was a chance for her to engage him on her terms before he was able to use a stronger jutsu on her, she had to take it. Otherwise she risked being completely at his mercy.

The tingling that skittered across her flesh and made her hair stand on end suddenly dissipated. The abrupt change frightened her. She had done nothing to completely repel the attack. Either she was already trapped within the genjutsu or he was pulling back to strike somewhere else. Running would be pointless if she was caught in an illusion, but if she wasn't, she had to move. Now.

Summoning chakra to her legs she leaped from the roof, took two steps forward and then whirled around in alarm when she felt a sudden jolt of chakra push past her, followed by a young woman's startled scream. She caught only a glimpse of a woman struggling against a man before her view was blocked by onlookers. A gasp rippled through the small crowd of people, then a fine mist of blood sprayed into the air followed by a sickening thud. Senses on high alert, she tried to discern what was happening when the crowd suddenly parted before her.

She recognized the young woman instantly.

'_Ami!_'

Pushing forward, Sakura rushed toward the young woman as she silently prayed that Shikamaru was on his way. Mouth gaping and eyes glazed over, Ami was hemorrhaging badly. Sakura could not wait for him. Her medic bag at the ready, she knelled beside the young woman and took in the severity of her wounds with a quick look, noting the placement of the slash and rapid blood loss. Her would-be assassin had done a sloppy job.

Healing chakra gathered at her fingertips as she reached toward the worst part of the wound but before she could touch the girl, a large, calloused hand wrapped around her wrist and yanked her to her feet instead.

Horror caught her breath in her throat and all she could do was stare as three tiny pinpricks of red light seemed to grow out of nothingness. They spun maddeningly as they increased in size, finally transforming into a pinwheel of chaos that made Sakura's stomach lurch sickly.

Then everything went black.

.

* * *

_...to be continued. Please remember to review!  
_


	13. slingshot

**AN:** Just wanted to throw out a quick THANK YOU to Thunk. That woman has even less free time than I do these days and yet she still manages to be a source of encouragement _and_ my beta reader.

You rule.

So here's the next chapter. I'm having a hell of a time writing with the current stuff going on in the manga. Thunk tells me I'm crazy for second-guessing everything I write -- and maybe I am -- but still... Each chapter has been a pain to write and I wrestle with every damn scene now. It has not been fun. BUT! I got the chapter finished and that's what counts, right?

Hopefully you guys will enjoy reading this more than I enjoyed writing it. :-P

As always, thank you for your encouraging reviews and private messages. You have no idea how motivating and helpful they are when I feel like just giving up. You guys are the best.

-

* * *

**dawning**

**.:slingshot:.**  
chapter thirteen

* * *

He had not expected her to be able to resist his Genjutsu so well. It was a rare treat for Itachi to encounter an opponent who could sense his techniques before they were fully constructed. Granted, he had started off with a mid-level jutsu, but he was a master at Genjutsu. Even some of his genin-level techniques had been known to entrap jounin-level shinobi.

Since the medic was not a primary target, Itachi was unwilling to waste too much effort on her. He simply wanted her out of the way. He didn't have the time or chakra to waste on a fight. His role was clear, deliver the girl. The team from Konoha, and their allies from Suna, were a hindrance he would much rather avoid.

But young Haruno-san didn't simply submit to his attempts to trap her mind. Her perfect chakra control was no exaggeration. That alone provided an excellent counter to his Genjutsu, but she had more than that. Haruno-san was also a natural Genjutsu user. And a gifted one at that. Itachi absorbed the knowledge and filed it away with as much caution as he did when he learned that she possessed the same abilities as the Godaime Hokage. An accomplished medic-nin with a natural defense against Genjutsu _and_ elite training in chakra-enhanced Taijutsu would make for a very interesting opponent.

But not today.

Upping the ante, he began his feint. Using a high-level Genjutsu developed by his clan, Itachi began the process of luring her out. The maneuver would cost him valuable chakra but it would be effective toward reaching his goal. With great care, he weaved his illusion. It had to be perfect, but simple. She would not be fooled otherwise. Finished, he slowly and carefully released the jutsu, allowing his lie to subtly mix with the truth of reality.

The corners of his lips twitched as he watched her. Crouched in a ready stance with hands curled into fists and eyes wide and alert, Haruno-san's battle-ready expression melted into determined concern when she saw the drama of his illusion play out before her. Then the medic in her took over. Moving swiftly, Haruno-san made her way toward him, completely unaware of where she was really going. As she knelt in the street with healing chakra illuminating her fingertips, he closed the distance between them and seized her.

Her wrist was tiny in his hand as he yanked her to her feet and pulled her around to face him. Jolted from illusion to reality, her eyes reflected her horror as she recognized him. Being this close to a Taijutsu expert was dangerous. He could feel her tensing to retaliate and promising him bodily harm. Wasting no time, Itachi pushed his will upon her. His eyes tingled as his Sharingan ensnared her mind and muddied her senses. She blinked once, twice, then without so much as a whimper, the young medic fainted in his arms.

• • •

Worry was gnawing at his insides. It wasn't yet time to meet, but he was growing anxious. Shikamaru scowled as he peered down the street, stubbornly trying to ignore his unease. He needed to concentrate on the task at hand. He needed to focus. He knew that, but still. He was worried. And as often as he told himself that he was being paranoid, the urge to check in with her continued to grow stronger. With a frustrated sigh, Shikamaru pressed the button on his microphone, "Sakura?"

Seconds ticked by like hours. He tried again, "Sakura, respond."

Static hissed in his ear, grating against his nerves and adding a hard bite of fear to his worry.

'_I shouldn't have separated us..._'

Trying again, he called out to the rest of his team only to hear the angry reply of more static. It was then that he knew. Something was very, very wrong.

Heart hammering in his chest, he dropped all pretext of being a regular civilian and took to the rooftops. He moved silently but quickly through the residential district toward the restaurant. It did not ease his fears in the least to see the quiet stillness and empty streets. Everything was just as it had been when they parted ways with no evidence at all that anything was amiss. Worse, Sakura was nowhere in sight.

'_Damn it!_'

Jaw painfully clenched, Shikamaru went to the spot on the roof where he knew she had been observing the restaurant. He hoped to find something that would help him to figure out what had happened to her. Leaning over the edge of the roof he found his first clue. In the fine, reddish brown dust of the Wind Country were a pair of very distinct foot prints. Or, more specifically, boot prints. They were somewhat blurred and uneven, but he recognized them as belonging to Sakura.

Not long ago, she had jumped from the roof and based on the direction of her first step, it seemed that she had headed northwest. Toward the main street. But the prints became a blur after that. Someone else had intercepted her. But he could find no evidence of combat. If Sakura had fought with someone there would be collateral damage to indicate as much, but there was nothing.

An uneasy frown darkened his features as he circled the area once more. No damage, no blood, no witnesses...

"Shit."

• • •

"They're not supposed to check in for another 30 minutes," Hinata said, forcing her normally soft voice to increase in volume so she could be more easily heard.

Kakashi's one visible eye drooped ever so slightly as the fabric that covered the lower half of his face dented on the sides. His left jaw muscle tightened and jumped, illustrating his unease. Without the benefit of seeing his face, Hinata knew that he was frowning. She swallowed hard and glanced at Naruto, then Neji. Her cousin's expression gave nothing away, but Naruto's worry was obvious.

"Sakura-chan and Shikamaru are in there alone?" the blond jounin asked. "We know that Akatsuki is involved... why would they go in alone?"

"Gaara believes they're attempting to create another Jinchurriki," Temari said, her voice tinged with impatience. "Our mission is to locate the target and eliminate the fetus before the Akatsuki can act. It would be more than a little obvious if an entire squad entered the village."

Naruto's expression darkened. "I see," he said, voice hard. "And bullshit. They already know we're here."

"What do you know that we don't?" she asked.

Kakashi glanced at Neji, who took the gesture as an invitation to answer Temari's question.

"I saw a suspicious figure a few kilometers outside of Hitofuki," Neji said. "When we changed direction to intercept, the figure disappeared."

"Disappeared?" Hinata asked. "How..?"

The elder Hyugga paused for a moment as though considering his words. Then, "He faded into the forest."

Temari's brows furled together in confusion while Hinata's stomach clenched in understanding. There were a scant few people who could do what her cousin described.

"I know your clan's defining ability is to see chakra," the wind user said. "But if you saw his chakra disappear like you say, could it be possible that he just used a jutsu or something?"

"It _was_ a jutsu," Neji confirmed. "I saw the flash of chakra, and then his body _literally_ faded into the forest. He vanished into the forest as though he was part of it."

"And Zetsu has mastered the Hiru Banshō: Bōka no Jutsu technique," Temari muttered. "Damn it."

Shino adjusted his sunglasses with his index finger, "So the Akatsuki _is_ here but we have no information on their current whereabouts other than the suggestion that they are in the immediate area."

Neji nodded, "Correct."

"Radio Shikamaru," Kakashi told Shino. "Alert him to what we've seen and confirm his location."

"Tell them that they need to withdraw," Shizune added, voice rushed. "The Hokage's orders override the Kazekage's in this instance."

"And what are the Hokage's orders?" Temari asked, eyebrow raised curiously.

"The protection of the squad, and Naruto in particular, in the event that contact with the Akatsuki becomes probable."

Naruto grunted as Shino attempted to contact Shikamaru.

"This is ridiculous."

Hinata's gaze turned toward Naruto when he spoke. Fists clenched at his sides and eyes bright, his frustration was plain for all to see.

"Let's just go in there and get them," he said. "There's no reason to remain covert anymore."

"It would be unwise to send the squad in after them without hearing from them first," Neji interjected.

"What's unwise is to sit here and wait," came Naruto's sharp reply.

Neji pressed his lips together, forming a tight line as Naruto ran an impatient hand through his hair.

"We know the Akatsuki's here, right? And we know that Sakura-chan and Shikamaru are in there alone. They need backup. Let's just go in there and find them," Naruto said, his voice reflecting the anxiety that he felt. Hinata watched him clench and unclench his fists in an effort to keep himself calm. "After that, we can find this Ami girl. If they're making another Jinchurriki it shouldn't be that hard for Neji or Hinata to locate her."

When no one immediately commented on Naruto's plan, the blond shinobi took a deep breath and ground out one word, "_Right?_"

It was the puppet master who broke the silence first. With a dangerous smirk lifting his features, Kankurou shrugged his shoulders and said, "He's got a point."

Up until that moment, Hinata hadn't really been aware of Kankurou's presence. Leaning against a tree near the outskirts of camp, Gaara's older brother looked deceptively relaxed.

"If we wait too long we risk giving the Akatsuki more of an advantage," he continued. "I can appreciate the strategy of 'looking before you leap,' but sometimes the gap widens while you're busy looking. I think Naruto is right on this one."

Kakashi sighed, rubbed the bridge of his nose and then turned toward Shino. "Anything?"

"They are not responding to my calls," he said.

The frown that Naruto wore only deepened at Shino's words. With an angry snort, he turned on his heel and left the camp without a word.

• • •

Black and red blinked into existence directly in front of him, forcing Shikamaru to come to an abrupt stop. Putting some space between them, the shadow user instinctively shifted his posture into a battle ready stance as his eyes darted from Itachi's face, to the frail form of Ami cradled in his arms and back again. His stoic expression gave nothing away, but Shikamaru knew that Itachi meant him no harm. At least not at that moment. If he was going to use a Genjutsu he would have done so already.

But Itachi did nothing but stand before him, expression calm and unreadable.

It was a facade, Shikamaru knew. The elder Uchiha had a gaze that seemed to take in every ounce of his opponent with just one look. As though his mind was a microscope examining an unfamiliar organism for scientific classification and cataloging. Detached, but perfectly aware. Even while protectively holding Ami to his chest, Itachi looked every bit the intimidating force of power that wiped out an entire clan of some of Konoha's deadliest shinobi.

Then his eyes shifted. The movement would be forgettable if performed by anyone else, but on Itachi it seemed almost exaggerated. Shikamaru glanced in the direction that Itachi looked and knew at once whom he would find upon investigation. When he glanced back, Uchiha was gone.

There were few places that Uchiha could go and Shikamaru was fairly certain that if he moved now he could catch up to him. But doing so was out of the question. Itachi had delivered a message, one that the shadow user wasn't about to ignore. He moved swiftly, senses on full alert and body tense as his brain sped through countless possibilities and scenarios. None of them very good and most screaming at him that he was walking into a trap. After all, Itachi's partner was well known and rarely were the two seen apart. The fact that Shikamaru did not see Kisame during his short confrontation with Itachi spoke volumes.

Grim determination pushed his lips together to form a tight, thin line. It didn't matter. He had to find her.

As buildings and streets narrowed into alleys, Shikamaru caught sight of a very familiar khaki-colored pack laying almost innocently near the entrance of a partially obscured alleyway. He landed near the pack and stood silently as he scanned the area for any sign of movement or traces of another's presence. Feeling slightly secure, he moved forward and, after a quick visual inspection, retrieved the pack. It was securely shut and felt full. He turned it over in his hands and saw no obvious damage or any other sign of tampering. A spark of hope eased some of the tension between his shoulders when he saw that the med-pack was free of blood stains. It was obvious that the item had been left out on purpose.

'_Bait._'

Attaching the pack to his back hip, he sucked in a deep breath and walked further into the alley. It was highly unlikely that an S-class criminal would hide like a rookie genin, but that didn't mean that they wouldn't. Even so, Shikamaru knew he was being led and it did not sit well with him. As the shadows grew around him the deeper he ventured into the alleyway, the more his muscles tensed and bunched under his skin.

Then he saw her.

Pink hair splayed out in all directions and body curled into a fetal position, Sakura lay prone and vulnerable. His first instinct was to go to her, hug her against himself and drown all the pessimistic doubts that clamored for attention in his brain. '_She's alive,_' he told himself. '_She's unconscious, but alive._'

But he had to be sure it was safe to approach her. Fingers twitching, he studied the space around her, feeling out the area with mind sharp and chakra ready. Was she really alone? Were there any exploding tags near her, or on her, that he could inadvertently set off, killing them both? As his mind worked over the possibilities, he studied her form. She appeared uninjured, but her bleak paleness and distinct lack of movement disturbed him.

'_Itachi wouldn't go to the trouble of setting up such a trap,_' Shikamaru concluded. '_Neither would his partner._'

Her name on his lips, he went to her and knelt by her side. He touched her neck with gentle fingers that trembled with barely contained concern. The strong, steady rhythm of her pulse felt good against his fingertips. He knew then what was wrong with her, but he had to be certain.

Just as it was unsafe to move someone when they were badly injured, it was equally unsafe to rouse a person from an illusion if their physical state was unknown. People tended to react unpredictably when thrust from illusion to reality. It wasn't uncommon for a shinobi, in a state of confusion, to go from a quiet, rested state to an adrenaline fueled frenzy. With her chakra enhanced strength, Shikamaru knew there would be no way that he could restrain her under such a circumstance. And if she was injured, a sudden, panic-induced movement would only exacerbate her wounds. All he could do was confirm that she was really unhurt and hope that she wouldn't punch him through a wall when he attempted to awaken her.

Every shinobi was well versed in basic first aid. The Nara Clan, with the deer they raised for their medicinal uses, were more educated than most when it came to the healing arts. But Shikamaru was no medic. And he knew that time was quickly running out. Hands moving over her body, Shikamaru sought out any sign of injury. He found two bruises and a minor scrape, but otherwise she felt fine. Satisfied, he molded his chakra to his hands and silently prayed the the jutsu that held her wasn't something that he would be unable to free her from. Bringing his fingertips together, he pushed his chakra out with a strong, "Kai!"

When she did not immediately react, Shikamaru feared the worst. He tried again, this time giving her a hard, bruising pinch under her arm with a sharp jolt of chakra. If the pain and chakra disruption didn't awaken her then he had nothing else to offer. The only reaction he observed was a minor increase in her rapid eye movement and a slight hitching of breath. With any luck, he had managed to shorten Itachi's jutsu. Perhaps she would awaken on her own. If not, he didn't know what he would do.

Jaw tightly clenched and worry creasing his brows, Shikamaru pulled her toward him and cradled her his arms. Awake or not, they had to move. Making sure that she was secure, he took to the roof and landed a bit too harsh, the motion jarring her. On reflex, he muttered an apology and then squeezed her more tightly against him. They had to get out of the village and reunite with the rest of team. It was too dangerous to remain and being cut off from the rest of the team was more than a little distressing.

Adrenaline fueling his movements, Shikamaru pushed himself to move as quickly as possible while keeping Sakura stable. As soon as they left the village, the terrain offered more cover but at the cost of easy movement. With every lunge pushing him from branch to branch, Shikamaru felt Sakura's body rock against him in rhythm with his leaps. Then a pulling sensation. With the ground rushing below them, Shikamaru spared Sakura a quick, assessing glance and was amazed to see her blink up at him. Her hand was clutching at his shirt and her eyes were unfocused and hazy, but she appeared to be fighting for consciousness.

The revelation almost caused him to miss his landing. With a slightly less-than-graceful recovery, Shikamaru found a thick, low hanging bough surrounded by heavy foliage to more closely examine her.

"Hey," he gave her a gentle squeeze, "are you okay?"

She blinked again, but didn't look up at him.

"Hey," he repeated, a bit louder and more forceful. "Look at me, Sakura."

Green, unfocused eyes languidly blinked once, then twice. She peered up at him for several seconds, eyes blank and unseeing, then recognition came. In another time or place, her expression would have been amusing. An almost drunken smirk curled the corners of her lips causing her eyes to crinkle around the edges. Fingers curling into his shirt, she press her face into his chest, sighed heavily and then snuggled more comfortably in his arms before letting her eyes drift shut.

Shikamaru wouldn't have it. Giving her a gentle shake, he repeated his demand, "Don't you pass out. Look at me."

Her expression turned slightly annoyed and Shikamaru took that as a victory. She was definitely responding to him. And if he didn't know better he would guess that her behavior was due to chakra depletion and fatigue. There were a handful of jutsus that could cause such an effect, and all of them were Genjutsu types. Shikamaru theorized that whatever Itachi had done to her the extreme exhaustion was probably a side effect of being broken out of it prematurely. He had heard of such illusionary techniques before, but never actually witnessed one. The only thing he could think to do for her was to give her a soldier pill and hope that it would not only replenish her chakra, but stimulate her depressed nervous system.

"I'm going to set you down and you need to stand," he said. She gave a half-hearted grunt in protest, but Shikamaru continued. "The tree trunk is right next to you. I won't let you fall. Just hold on to me."

Content to doze in his arms, she ignored him. Shikamaru clenched his jaw and gave her another hard shake.

"Open your eyes, Sakura," he commanded. "And _look_ at me. That's an order."

She grimaced, causing an annoyed crease to form between her brows, but she did as she was told. He repeated his intentions, then lowered her slowly, carefully, with both arms around her for support. She stood, wobbly and uncertain.

"Just hold onto me, Sakura," he told her when he saw how uncoordinated she was. She obeyed without a word, reaching for his arms and moving to lean into his chest. He sighed. He had meant for her to hold onto his upper arm or maybe wrap an arm around his middle, not use his entire body for support again. Lips forming a tight, thin line, he held her shoulders and pushed her back. The gesture bewildered her and she looked up at him with groggy, questioning eyes.

"I can't _hold_ you," he explained. "I need my hands free."

Eyes drooping, he knew that she was on the verge of passing out again. Shikamaru swore under his breath and pulled her against him, wrapping one arm around her shoulders to hold her steady.

"Sakura!"

The authoritative tone of his voice startled her. He jostled her a bit to keep her awake, "Eyes open. Look at me."

She blinked owlishly at him and waited.

"Good," he said as he used his free hand to dig through his vest pockets. "Stay with me, Sakura."

Palming a soldier pill, he held it out to her, giving her a moment to process what was in his hand before holding it near her mouth. Her lips parted and he fed it to her. After listening to her listless chewing for several seconds he wondered if he had to order her to swallow the damn thing. So he did.

"Swallow it, Sakura."

She complied, and seconds later her knees buckled as her body swooned into him. Alarmed, Shikamaru pulled her up and steadied her against him.

"Are you okay?" he asked. "Sakura?"

He felt her tense against him. A moment later, she shifted her weight to stand on her own, but her face was still bowed against his chest.

"I just got really dizzy," she mumbled. "What... where are we?"

"The forest outside of the village. What do you remember?"

She said noting. Only the sounds of her deep breathing could be heard as she remained still against him. '_Did she pass out?_'

"Sakura?"

With a low groan, she pushed away from him. "I... I'm going to be sick."

She barely had time to turn her back to him before the heaving began. Once it started it didn't stop, even after she had emptied her stomach. Shikamaru grimaced at the sight, and sounds, but didn't leave her side. The bough was wide enough to accommodate them both, but there still wasn't much room for a sick person to maneuver safely. Shikamaru did his best to keep her steady. One hand pressed gently against her back, he waited for her sickness pass. Then he offered her his canteen.

"What did he do to you?" he asked, his voice sounded much more harsh than he intended.

She took his offering with a sheepish look of gratitude and rinsed the taste of bile from her mouth. "I... I'm not sure. I don't remember being hit..."

Taking one more swig of water, she handed back the canteen with a quiet word of thanks. Shikamaru barely nodded in acknowledgment, his eyes too busy searching over her form as his mind re-evaluated the evidence. Solider pills could cause nausea and sickness, but only if a person used them over an extended period of time. What if he had been wrong? What if there were some internal injuries that he failed to find? What if Itachi had poisoned her? Or Kisame? Didn't Kisame have a sword that could drain chakra?

"Stop that," she said softly.

He blinked at her. "Stop what?"

"Assessing me like that," her lips twitched downward, reflecting her unease. "Like I'm some kind of equation to figure out. Stop it."

"I _am_ trying to figure you out," he sighed. "I'm trying to figure out if you're okay, and no, I won't stop."

"I'm fine."

He frowned, clearly not believing her. "Are you?"

"Yes," she said, carefully standing to her full height. Shikamaru took hold of her upper arm to help steady her. "Well, I'm better. My equilibrium went from one extreme to another in a matter of seconds and my chakra is all out of whack. Vomiting is a typical reaction. The fact that I didn't pass out is a good sign. Once my chakra stabilizes, I should be fine."

"That's good to hear," Shikamaru said, a small smile playing about his lips. "You had me pretty worried."

She ducked her head to hide her blush, but Shikamaru saw it anyway. The reaction was a welcome sight to see and for the briefest of moments, he wanted to crush her against him. He had been worried. Far more than even he realized. It was more than a relief to see her acting like herself. It was almost liberating.

"Where's my med pack?" she asked.

Still holding on to her, Shikamaru carefully unfastened her pack from his side and presented it to her. She replaced it with a quiet word of thanks. Color was quickly returning to her face, but she still seemed far too pale for his liking. And he knew that she was not using chakra to keep her feet grounded to the branch. If Shikamaru wasn't holding onto her, she could very easily fall. He wanted her to rest and recover, but their circumstances would not allow it. They had to keep moving.

"We can't stay here," he told her. "Can you travel?"

"I can walk."

"We need to move faster than that," he said. "Do you think you can hold on to me if I carry you piggy back? Or should I just carry you bridal style again?"

Mixed emotions flashed across her face, only to quickly give in to a stubborn acceptance of her situation. He knew embarrassment and pride made her want to protest his suggestions, but logic had won out in the end. However, the pleasant return of her blush was something else entirely and he couldn't help but to enjoy it.

Lips curled into a half smile, he turned and crouched down. She hesitated for only a moment before climbing onto his back. Settling herself against him, she pressed her face against him and gave a nod that she was ready. Then the leaves and trees blurred around them. Her muscles automatically tightened in response. The strength of her hold was hardly noticeable, triggering a renewed sense of guilt. She wouldn't be in this state if it wasn't for him. Splitting up almost cost her her life.

"Can you tell me what happened?" he asked as he launched them from one branch to another. Though it was phrased as a question, he knew it sounded like a demand. His words were carefully even, controlled, but the request still sounded harsh. Angry. He hoped that she didn't misinterpret his tone and think his ire was directed at her. Turning his face toward her he gave her a quick, assessing glance and caught her eye. If she detected his anger she didn't show it.

Adjusting her hold on him, Sakura shifted her weight and move her mouth closer to his ear. "I'm not sure what happened," she said finally. "I remember feeling someone trying to use a jutsu on me. An illusion. I remember countering it and trying to contact you on the radio..."

He snorted. "The radios aren't working."

"Since when?"

"I don't know, but they're obviously intercepting our transmissions somehow." He felt Sakura tense, her fingers digging into his shoulders. The last thing he wanted was for her to worry. It was inevitable that she would, he knew. But he also knew that she seemed to be able to relax easier when she had something to talk about. Even if that something wasn't necessarily pleasant.

"Go on," he prompted. "What else do you remember?"

"I... I don't know."

"You didn't see anyone?" he pressed.

Shikamaru wasn't surprised when she didn't immediately answer his question. He knew her memory was probably muddied, but any additional information she provided could be invaluable. And she knew it, too. But when he felt her fingers digging into his shoulders again he frowned. Turning his face to catch a glimpse of her over his shoulder, Shikamaru caught her troubled and slightly confused expression.

"Hey, don't worry. It's okay if you don't remember everything--"

"A butterfly," she interrupted. "I remember seeing a butterfly."

"A butterfly?" he asked.

"That must be when the attack first began," she continued. "After that, it's all disjointed. I remember jumping down from the roof, and then hearing screams..." She paused, considering. "The next thing I remember after that is feeling nauseous and throwing up."

"Ah."

A stretch of silence followed, hanging thick around Sakura like the gloomy, angry darkness just before a thunderstorm. The clues were all there, she just needed to piece them all together.

"It was Itachi," she said, voice grave. "They're here."

"It would appear so."

At his words Sakura's body tightened around his, fingers digging into his flesh and knees squeezing his sides. He shrugged in an attempt to get her to ease her hold, but she ignored the subtle clue. Her grip on him wasn't painful, but it easily could be. It was a welcome sign. A bit painful, but welcome. She was getting her strength back.

"Relax, Sakura," he said through a grimace. "There's no reason to freak out about it now."

Though he couldn't see her, he knew she was glaring at him.

"Hearing the confirmation doesn't make it any less disturbing," she deadpanned.

"Probably not," he agreed. "Clearly Itachi's intention was to incapacitate you and keep us separated from the squad long enough for them to get what they want."

Her knees suddenly tightened painfully around his middle and he grunted, "Hey, careful!"

His words ignored, Sakura said, "They have Ami."

"Yeah," he winced, aching. "They have Ami."

* * *

**AN:** Favorites and alert subscriptions are nice, but reviews are better. :)


	14. without fear

**AN: **Yes, yes. It's been a long time between chapter updates. Life has been busy, okay? Not just for me but for my beta, too. Thunk has five young sons and is just weeks away from launching her own business, so you can imagine how swamped she is these days, but she STILL made time to be my beta. Thank you, Thunk. I appreciate your feedback and support more than you know.

I **am** working on the next chapter. If you're ever wondering what's going on with me or this fic, please check my profile. I try to keep it updated so you guys can be reassured that I'm still alive and kicking. And if you have any questions or comments, feel free to send me a private message. I do try to reply. I wish I could reply to _every_ review, but can't. Please know that they are appreciated and very encouraging. Even the critical ones. ;) It's nice to know that people are reading.

Speaking of reviews, I'm amazed and humbled that this fic has hit the 700 review mark. I never imagined that a Shikamaru/Sakura pairing would be so well received, but I'm pleased that so many like it.

**Warning:** Bad language ahead. Which probably doesn't matter to most of you but I figured I'd warn you anyway.

* * *

**dawning**

.:without fear:.  
chapter fourteen

* * *

Crimson eyes slowly faded to black as he confirmed that the Sand-nin were no longer tailing him. The chase ended far sooner than he expected, but it suited him just fine to conserve his chakra for bigger game. Still, Sasuke had fully expected to have to battle the three-man squad that pursued him from Suna. Part of him had been looking forward to the fray. It would be an excellent way to vent almost three weeks worth of frustration and annoyance, but just as it seemed that the Sand-nin were closing in on him they stopped. And then they disappeared completely.

If that was how it was going to be he didn't know why they bothered to chase him at all. Why go to the effort of a pursuit when it was both half-assed and predictable? It seemed to Sasuke that the only reason that they followed him was more out of formality than an actual desire to recapture him. They knew where he was going and what his motivation was. How could they not? Gaara hadn't attempted to confine Sasuke to Suna simply because he didn't like him. No, Gaara did it to keep him out of the way so Naruto, Kakashi and the rest of those assholes could deal with the Akatsuki without him.

Adjusting the collar of his shirt, Sasuke turned on his heel and resumed his long trek toward the woods surrounding Hitofuki. He was beyond tired of their meddling. He put up with it after being dragged back to Konoha because he knew, ultimately, that the Akatsuki (and his brother) would seek out Naruto. It made sense for him to stay close to the jinchuuriki until that time. Why go to the trouble of hunting something when it would inevitably come to you? But now he felt the extent of their interference once again, reminding him of when he was 12-years-old and furious at the world and himself.

For a while he thought that Sakura, of all people, had understood his feelings and motives. She seemed to at least, in her own way. She would listen to him, tend to him, pay attention to him, believe him... she was easy to deal with. Predictable. Stable. She annoyed him on occasion, but even that was foreseeable and easily placated. A little attention, a small complement and a half-smile, and she would warm to him again, eyes hopeful and clouded by her one-sided love. It helped, too, that she was always so eager to make him happy. It made him feel like he was in control. Under the near constant scrutiny of the Konoha ruling council, being in control of something – _someone_ – gave him a measure of comfort that he craved. Or he did until he realized that she was more of a distraction than a comfort.

But that eroded quickly. At first he thought it was due to the sex, as unplanned and spontaneous as that had been it wasn't entirely unpleasant or unwelcome. She took it to heart though, more than he wanted her to, but he could deal with that. Or would have had they not both been assigned to a mission so soon afterward. That left him in a tailspin – not just because he had to deal with the curse seal acting up and her emotional clinginess, but he also had to work with the rest of their inane squad. Nara in particular, was a major pain-in-the-ass. That, in itself, was nothing new. Nara had been an annoyance for years, but on this trip in particular, it seemed to Sasuke that every time the shadow user looked in his direction, he was being assessed, cataloged and evaluated. It was unnerving.

But what really irked Sasuke, what really got under his skin and made him itch for violence, was the knowledge that not once during the entire mission – NOT ONCE – did Nara inform him that they had been pursing a fresh lead about the Akatsuki. About his brother! And predictable, stable, easy Sakura _did_ know and she didn't tell him, either.

Nara was to blame for that, too. Jaw clenched and lips pressed together to form a tight, thin line, Sasuke streaked toward Hitofuki with hate eating away at his heart.

Yes. Nara was to blame for a lot of things.

• • •

The attack came from the left. Tendrils of leaf covered vines shot out at them just as Shikamaru pushed off of a branch. Already in midair, there was little he could do to completely avoid the blow, but he could pivot his body to deflect most of the impact. He twisted and braced himself for the attack, only to feel a rough kick to his back as Sakura pushed herself off of him.

Physics dictated the rest, forcing both to move in opposite directions. The vines missed them, passing harmlessly through the space they once occupied with a swoosh. Shikamaru was able to adjust his descent to land squarely on a low level branch as Sakura managed to swing herself onto a nearby bough. He noted the strain in her limbs as she moved, but she stubbornly pushed herself through it as she curled her hands into fists, spread her feet apart and crouched. She was ready to fight.

Wasting no time, Shikamaru studied the arch of the vines and immediately tracked the source of the attack. Though the vines had come at them from the left, the trajectory of the attack was wrong. As was the speed. Sakura's quick thinking may have saved them both from being hit, but their adversary wasn't so easily parried. As he took in their surroundings, he quickly deduced several possible ambush points around their immediate location. Their enemy had chosen the perfect area to stage an attack leaving them with very few options should they attempt to flee. Eyes still cataloging the area around them, Shikamaru lifted his right hand and made a series of hand signals that only a shinobi of Konoha would understand. His message was simple, 'Trap. Confrontation imminent. Be ready.'

No sooner had he signaled the last part of the message did the next attack come. Thick masses of vines shot out in all directions, creating a leafy green web between them. Shikamaru scowled. The trap was so glaringly obvious that he worried what hidden dangers existed within vines. They seemed to invite contact, almost daring him to use Asuma's fist weapons to slice through them. But he resisted the urge, determined to figure out the full nature of the threat.

"The foliage is poisonous," Sakura warned, her words strong and clear. He peered at her, observing her steadiness. She projected an aura of confidence and power that surprised him to see. So soon after being roused from the Uchiha's illusion, he doubted she was fully recovered, but she showed no sign of weakness. A sense of pride rushed through him at the sight.

"Avoid contact with the vines," she continued. "They're highly cyanogenic."

"You recognize the leaves," a deep, bass-like voice said as though pleased. "I knew you would."

Shikamaru searched for the source of the voice to no avail. The sound seemed to originate from a specific point somewhere close by, but the strange echo and reverberation within the trees themselves suggested multiple sources.

Sakura ignored the voice as she brought her hands together and immediately began forming a series of seals that Shikamaru had never seen before. The disembodied male voice gave a distinct, 'hmmm' as she finished her jutsu. Expression hard, she reached for the vine nearest to her and released her chakra into it. The foliage reacted immediately, darkening in color until it turned brown, then black, and finally crumbled harmlessly around her hands. The effect spread out, moving through the vines at a steady, but slow pace with the same disintegrating effect.

The voice chuckled. Then a new voice, almost alto in tone, said, "I told you it would be too obvious."

"The choice was fitting," the deeper voice responded as the opening that Sakura created within the web continued to grow. The disembodied voice sounded amused as it said, "I think she appreciates it."

Then the tree trunk nearest to Sakura stretched and morphed, creating a distinct popping noise as the wood changed form. Yellow eyes blinked into existence followed by a curl of bark that grinned manically. Sakura jumped back, creating extra space between them as the figure continued to manifest itself. Within seconds, their adversary stood before them. Shikamaru recognized him at once. There was no picture of him in the bingo books, but the description of him was unmistakable. This was Zetsu, the S-class criminal shrouded in mystery that many believed was not truly human at all. Head tilted to the side and sickly-yellow eyes peering at her intently, Zetsu quietly assessed Sakura, completely dismissing her squad leader.

The display did not go ignored.

'_Why is he so focused on Sakura?_' Shikamaru wondered. Eyes narrowed, he watched Sakura study Zetsu as Zetsu studied her. To be so focused on Sakura suggested that Zetsu either had a partner nearby or he was extremely confident in his ability to dispatch them both. Whatever the case, there was definitely something about Sakura that roused Zetsu's interest, or he was purposefully attempting to lure Shikamaru into thinking he had an element of surprise. Either way, Shikamaru would do what he could to turn Zetsu's trap against him. Expression hard, he calculated how much reach he could get out of the surrounding shadows based on the angle of the sun when their enemy spoke again.

"You defeated Sasori," Zetsu said, his lips curling into a predatory smile, both halves of his mismatched face twisting to reveal rows of unnaturally sharp teeth. Shikamaru noticed that, once again, his voice had taken on a deep, basal tone. "You devised an antidote to his most prized poison in less than a day."

Sakura clenched her jaw, but otherwise did not outwardly react to his statement. This only seemed to amuse Zetsu more and his smile suddenly grew impossibly large. "We enjoy working with poisons, too," he said, his voice suddenly united into a chorus.

Body poised to attack or flee in an instant, Sakura muttered a quiet, "So I noticed."

"Our instructions do not include killing you," Zetsu continued, his eyes slowly trailing up and down the length of her body. Such behavior done by any other male would have been unmistakable in its intent, but Shikamaru had the sick sensation in the pit of his stomach that their enemy, quite literally, wanted to eat her. "But we would very much like to anyway."

• • •

She held herself remarkably well considering she should still be unconscious. Or, at the very least, incapacitated to the point of requiring assistance.

Expression impassive and chakra-enhanced feet firmly planted to the borough beneath him, Itachi adjusted his hold on the young woman in his arms as he leaned forward to get a better view of the scene below. It was no surprise to him that the Nara clan heir had found the medic, but he had not expected her to be able to stand – let alone mold chakra. At least not this soon. His first thought was that he didn't use enough chakra when he formed the illusion, but such a possibility seemed unlikely. Regardless, Haruno didn't outwardly appear to be suffering from weakness or disequilibrium.

There was little doubt in Itachi's mind that Nara had fed the girl a soldier pill, but that would not magically return her to normal. It would simply energize her. Having energy didn't mean anything if one couldn't mold it. Was her quick recovery simply an extension of her famous perfect chakra control?

'_The bingo books need a serious revision,_' Itachi mentally noted as he watched her. He could only clearly see the top of her bright, pink head as she stood seemingly trapped in a web of thick, green vines, but he recognized the first few seals she quickly performed. Her chakra flared, a little too brightly, as she finished the jutsu and he realized then that she was not as recovered from their little encounter as she pretended to be. Still, only someone with sharingan-enhanced eyes would realize that.

Haruno was impressive. He would remember this encounter the next time they met.

"I thought you dealt with the kunoichi," his partner said, his voice reflecting a hint of amusement as the pink-haired girl dissolved the vines surrounding her with ease.

"Ah."

Kisame glanced at him out of the corners of his eyes and smirked. "I take it her partner broke your little spell?" he asked sarcastically.

Itachi inclined his head a fraction of an inch, but said nothing as he watched Zetsu begin to speak to Haruno. From appearances, it seemed that their teammate was ignoring Nara, who crouched silently on a wide branch several feet away. Itachi didn't know if Zetsu was purposefully ignoring the man or if he had simply dismissed the other shinobi as being less of a threat, but either option would be a mistake. The Nara clan wasn't very well known outside of Konoha. That was, of course, by tactical design. If other shinobi villages knew of the important contributions of the Nara clan to the military success of Konoha, they would be as well regarded (and envied) as that of the Hyuuga or Uchiha. Becoming like the shadows that they manipulated was as much a standard battlefield strategy for a Nara as it was clan preservation.

Since the early years of Konoha warfare, it was always a member of the Nara clan, not the Hokage, who served as the commanding officer dictating strategy during major battles. History would never reveal it, but it was the strategies of the Nara clan that led to the destruction of the Kannabi Bridge and turned the Third Shinobi War favorable for Konoha. Until that point, the Leaf were facing the very real possibility of conquest.

Itachi, however, had fought in that war. He remembered. And he was quite familiar with the frightening intellect of the Nara clan. To ignore or dismiss a Nara on the battlefield would always, _always_, lead to defeat.

"Look at her go!" Kisame exclaimed as he watched the girl obliterate a tree with a single punch. The display of destructive power caused blue lips to curl in predatory glee. Then, with a hint of regret, he said, "Kunoichi like her are fun to fight. Damn shame that Zetsu will kill her."

Itachi observed the unfolding battle below them for only a handful of seconds before stating the obvious, "Zetsu will not win. The pair from Konoha will survive."

Kisame peered at Itachi, doubting his ears, "Come again?"

"She is not alone," he said as he pointed his chin toward the dark-haired shinobi partially obscured in the leafy foliage. Head bowed and finger tips and thumbs pressed together to form a diamond configuration with his hands, Itachi recognized the first stage of the Nara clan shadow-jutsu specialty.

"You mean that guy that looks like he's sleeping?" Kisame asked, leaning forward to get a better look. "Seriously?"

Itachi said nothing. He would see for himself soon enough. Adjusting his hold on the girl, Itachi paused with the sudden realization that a small corner of his cloak was wet with blood.

Blood that was not his.

Lips pursed together in thoughtful observation, he studied the teenager with a hint of worry fluttering in the back of his mind. She didn't appear to be injured, but she did seem to be distressed. The girl should be in a deep sleep, quiet and still – but her breathing was shallow and there was a delicate sheen of sweat beginning to line her brow. Her eyes darted beneath closed lids as she silently experienced the illusion he crafted for her when he captured her. She should be dreaming of blue skies, clear streams and lush forests. Simple. Pleasant. Easy. Instead she appeared to be in pain. Either she was reacting to the illusion as though it was a high-level offensive genjutsu, or she was in labor.

"Well that lazy guy better do something soon," Kisame said, his voice penetrating Itachi's thoughts. "Zetsu won't play forever. Cannibalism is fucking disgusting anyway."

Itachi ignored him as he peered at Ami with sharingan bright eyes. He could sense his chakra swirling within her, forcing his illusion upon her, but it didn't seem to be the primary source of her affliction. Even so, he could see her body straining to accommodate his chakra in a futile effort to reestablish balance over something that would best be ignored. His jutsu was minor in comparison to the mish-mash of chakra that seemed to war within her body. To sense the drama play out within her was like watching the body fight off a cold virus while it slowly bled to death. The priority was all wrong.

Indeed, Pain had chosen the perfect vessel for their experiment. A girl who was a descendant of a clan known to have chakra that was compatible with all forms of chakra – much like the universal blood type 'O.' Her body didn't reject the foreign chakra of the fetal jinchurriki. It didn't resist the turbulent ebbs and flows and its greedy demands. It simply tolerated it and adapted.

Reigning in his chakra, Itachi prematurely ended the illusion. Perhaps without his influence, her body would revert to its previous state of delicate balance. Instead he felt her grow tense in his arms. Adjusting his hold on the girl, he felt her relax and Itachi allowed himself a moment to hope she would remain that way until they could deliver her to Pain. As the battle below them began to intensify, he felt her tense again. Then his sleeve was saturated.

The corners of his lips twitching downward, Itachi said, "Her water broke."

At first it didn't seem as though Kisame heard him. His focus was completely absorbed in watching Nara ensnare Zetsu in a shadow-bind technique as Haruno moved in to deliver a chakra-laden blow. Itachi knew it was a feint. He'd seen members of the Nara clan employ such simple tactics before and knew it was designed to gauge their opponents to further strengthen their overall strategy against them. Zetsu delivered exactly what Nara wanted when he split in half a moment before the medic-nin would have delivered a devastating blow. While the action most certainly freed him from the shadow-bind technique, it also revealed more of his abilities. There was little doubt in Itachi's mind that Zetsu was only a few moves away from defeat.

Whether Kisame saw it that way was debatable. But it was at that point that the sharingan user's words finally sunk in and his blue-skinned partner turned to peer at him over his shoulder, expression tight with disbelief. "Wait... _what?_"

Shifting the girl in his arms, Itachi revealed the growing stain of fluid on the sleeve of his cloak.

Kisame frowned. "Maybe she just pissed herself...?"

The suggestion caused Itachi's features to immediately tighten. "No."

"Shit," he looked at the girl and scowled. "Shit. Really? _Now? _What the fuck, Itachi!"

The Uchiha lifted a brow at his partner and said, "I did not induce her labor."

"You... but... she..." Kisame's countenance continued to ebb into panic. "_Fuck!"_

"She is clearly not healthy and already weak from the pregnancy. I believe the events of the day and the effects of the jutsu may have been too much for her," Itachi said as he ignored his partner's distress.

"Then it is your fucking fault!" Kisame hissed. "Shit, Itachi! There is no way we are going to get her to the Rain country before she pushes that thing out."

Shifting his weight from one foot to the other, Itachi held the girl closer to his chest as he prepared to leave. "Then we should go," he said. "Leave Zetsu to Konoha. He will provide a fine distraction for a while. You will need to contact Pain for further orders."

• • •

Naruto felt the disturbance as soon as he entered Sage mode.

Eyes closed and head bowed, he let the soothing energy of the small forest oasis wash over him. Calming as it was, nature chakra possessed its own unique smell and taste. It skittered across his flesh and made his nerve endings tingle from just the barest whisper of a breeze. When the chakra flooded his body, Naruto felt _everything_. The essence of life itself flooded his senses and always – _always_ – threatened to take him over completely. Years of training and experience in Sage mode had taught him to manage his chakra with minimal effort, but there were times when he still found maintaining the balance to be difficult.

Now was one of those times.

There was a flavor he detected in the forest. It was a bitter and sickly taste that reminded him of spoiled milk. It filled his mouth with it's offensive pungency and lingered like the aftertaste of vomit. There was something out there, hidden within the trees and lurking in dark places, that did not belong.

It immediately reminded him of cancer.

Naruto's instinctive response was to push back against the unusual chakra. It felt invasive and... _wrong_. But to do so would alter his internal balance and he would fall out of Sage Mode completely. He had to let the strangeness flow over him, just as it flowed over everything else around him. Sucking in a deep, cleansing breath, Naruto allowed the energy to soak into him. He could feel it move, turn, stretch and shiver. More than that, Naruto could feel its purpose and intent. He could feel its hunger and blood lust.

With a deep scowl marring his features, Naruto pushed his awareness beyond the cancer invading the forest. Shikamaru and Sakura were out there somewhere and it disturbed him that he had yet to sense their presence. Opening his senses to the more subtle ebbs and flows of the nature energy around him, he did his best to clear his mind and settle the worry gnawing at his insides. He felt the comforting and gentle warmth of summer, growth and new life. He felt the familiar chakra of his friends and teammates as they made their way toward him, Hinata, of all people, leading the way.

Exhaling deeply, he felt his muscles relax as his body settled deeper into Sage mode. There was a steady strength of chakra nearby that caused him to tilt his head to the south as he concentrated on the sensation. The chakra reminded him of Sasuke, but it felt far more controlled and carefully maintained.

'_Itachi,_' he thought, feeling the Uchiha chakra tingle across his senses. Then he sensed his partner, Kisame, and the greedy hunger of the living sword strapped to his back.

'_And someone else..._'

Naruto frowned as he concentrated on the person with Konoha's most famous missing-nin. They had the chakra signature of a civilian, but they felt distinctly different. Realizing that the person with Itachi could be their target, he created a bushin and ordered it to trail after them as he focused his attention on locating his friends. The longer it took to sense Sakura, the more dread built up in his heart. Never before had he had such a difficult time finding someone once he entered Sage mode. Either they were both dead, or the cancer within forest was somehow masking their presence. Either prospect caused the hairs on the back of his neck to raise as a shiver of fear to skitter down his spine.

As his teammates finally caught up to him and waited quietly for him to speak, Naruto finally detected the gentle strength and determination of a chakra signature he knew all too well. '_Sakura-chan_,' he thought, as relief filled him. Then, with a sudden rush, he felt Shikamaru's chakra, too.

Feeling the presence of his teammates, he said, "They're northeast of us. Itachi and Kisame are moving south." Head still bowed and eyes closed, Naruto unconsciously grimaced as he felt a spike in the cancer-like chakra. He would have to do something about that. Soon.

"I think they have the target," he added. "She is quite weak."

"Neji? Can you see them?" Kakashi asked.

A handful of seconds ticked by, then, "I can confirm that Itachi and Kisame have a woman with them," Neji said as he peered in the direction that Naruto indicated with his Byakugan. "She appears unconscious."

Naruto opened his eyes for the first time since he teammates arrived, revealing golden orbs transformed by the nature energy that filled him, "I have a clone following them, too."

"What about Sakura and Shikamaru?" Shizune asked.

Making a face that revealed his disgust, Naruto said, "They're fighting Zetsu and Sakura-chan's chakra doesn't feel right."

Shizune's eyes widened a fraction. "Is she injured?"

"No... I don't think so."

"Alright," Kakashi said, his voice taking on an authoritative tone and alerting everyone that new orders were about to be given. "Lee, Neji, Shino and Kankourou, you're with me. Our mission is to retrieve the target. The rest of you, help Shikamaru and Sakura and then rendezvous with us." As the separate teams of shinobi prepared to depart, Kakashi added, "Don't forget who we're dealing with. Stay alert."

• • •

Vines entangled her, thorns biting deep into her exposed skin and draining her of precious blood and chakra. She pulled, and the vines pulled back.

Sakura narrowed her eyes at the black half of Zetsu, who grinned madly at her as he watched blood leak from her wounds. Expression tight with anger, she pushed all of the chakra she could spare into her right leg and stomped the ground once, then twice. The resulting explosion of earth, stone and foliage forced Zetsu to shift his weight and turn. The movement, though slight, caused tight vines to temporarily loosen. With only seconds to act, she gripped the thickest part of the vine and pulled, twisting her body for leverage.

The element of surprise worked in her favor. Zetsu was forced to release the vines or risk being pulled into melee range of a girl who could obliterate him with a single punch. Sakura anticipated this and seeing her moment, sprung forward. Seeing her intent, the black half of Zetsu reacted instantly, barely managing to move in time. A direct hit was deflected into a mere graze, but Sakura still felt a wave of satisfaction wash over her when her fingertips made contact with his chest. She didn't need to hit him directly to be effective. Considering her current state a solid hit would have been preferred, but the beauty of the Ranshinshō was that it only required a slight touch to render a person temporarily immobile.

Zetsu fell to the ground in an undignified heap. His one visible yellow eye glared at her as he struggled to right himself. Fingers clenching spasmodically, he stretched himself out as far as he could as he attempted to reach for the nearest tree. His fingertips scraped desperately against a thick, exposed root when Sakura's hands reached for him. Without hesitation, she flipped him onto his stomach and pressed her palms against his spine, forcing her chakra into his system. Nerve endings and muscle tissue recoiled from her touch and he screamed.

"Get down!" Shikamaru ordered.

Sakura didn't think, she simply reacted as she dropped her body on top of the barely conscious form of Zetsu's black half. She felt the air displace from the sudden movement above her, heard the swoosh of a body flying directly overhead, then heard the frustrated grunts and growls of Zetsu's white half as it attempted to claw it's way toward her. Shikamaru didn't allow the shinobi the opportunity as he held him tight with his Kagenui no Jutsu as shadowy tentacles wound tighter around their opponent.

"Don't let him come into contact with his other half," Shikamaru said, voice strained. "Is the black half dead?"

"I don't think so," she said breathlessly.

"Then kill it," Shikamaru ordered as the white half began to shutter and howl.

Sakura gave a brief nod as she pulled out her kunai. Jaw clenched, she leaned over the prone form of the black half and quickly ran through a mental list of the most effective ways to kill a shinobi who possessed abilities that were largely unknown. Decapitation seemed to be the most obvious choice. Grim determination steeling her resolve, she put the blade against his neck and prepared to slice. His body clenched, twitched – then his hands began to melt into the tangled tree roots that circumvented the wide, aged tree only a few feet away.

"He's retreating into the damn tree!" Sakura hissed as she tried to grab hold of him and pull. It was impossible, she told herself, for him to attempt an escape when she had used the Ranshinshō on him and then fried his nervous system with her chakra. The electrical impulses that controlled his motor functions should be in total chaos. He should be incapable of doing anything to defend himself, let alone escape. In a desperate attempt to stop him, she stabbed his chest with her kunai, hoping that a severe injury would somehow prevent his flight. Instead her blade simply embedded itself into the soil.

Eyes wide with horror as she realized that neither one of them had any idea of where Zetsu's black half had disappeared to, or what he would do next, she whispered, "He's gone."

"Sakura," Shikamaru grunted, "He will come back for his other half. We have to flee. Can you..?"

"Yes."

"Then go," he said, his voice strained from the effort of holding the white half immobile with his shadow jutsu for so long. "I'll catch up."

Gathering her reserves of strength, she shook her head. Zetsu's black half was still around, waiting for an opportunity to strike. If she left now, she was certain he would and Shikamaru was in no position to defend himself. She couldn't leave him. She wouldn't. Just the very suggestion of it caused the her insides lurch uncomfortably.

Shikamaru glared at her and she knew he was about to order her to obey and she voiced her defiance, "No. Absolutely not."

"Troublesome," he muttered. "This jutsu is a bit taxing, you know."

She knew that. She could see that by the way his body strained to maintain control over Zetsu's white half as he struggled and hissed. '_The trees,_' she thought as she studied the base of the nearest pine, '_he uses the trees to travel – the network of limbs and roots... can I break the network? Disrupt it? Even for a few seconds..?_'

With a deep breath, she pulled at her chakra, willing it to flow into her limbs and grant her another burst of strength. With a cry, she threw herself at the base of the tree, her fist connecting in a loud, painful 'thump!' For a second, nothing happened and her heart sank. Then the tree shuttered and vibrated, displacing pine needles and causing the loose soil around its roots to shiver violently. Then a strange groaning filled the air as the entire tree began to shift.

It was a gamble to even attempt such a move in her state, but it was their only chance. She silently prayed that it would work.

"We go _now,_" she said.

Shikamaru didn't argue.

.

* * *

**AN #1:** Well? How was that? **Remember - favorites and alert subscriptions are very nice, but reviews are even better.** They're the food we lowly fanfiction writers live for. Please review and encourage your local fanfic writer today! :)

**AN #2:** Okay, I've gotten some questions/doubts about my decision to have Naruto going into sage mode here and I wanted to take this moment to address that concern. First of all, I think it's awesome that people CARE enough about my characterizations to express their doubts or question me about it. Thank you for holding me accountable. Our opinions may not always mesh, but I really do appreciate the feedback.

So... this is my own personal theory (obviously) based on possible events in what would clearly be an alternative timeline - which is what this story is (never forget that). After all, in this fic I have Sasuke back in Konoha so the timeline is already quite different.

In this universe we still have some common themes from the cannon - Sakura still becomes an apprentice to Tsunade, Sasuke is still drawn to Orochimaru and leaves the village to "gain power" from him and Naruto still undergoes training directly from Jiraiya.

I figure that Jiraiya always intended for Naruto to study to become a Sage (which would be an asset for him toward the ultimate goal of mastering the kyuubi/Kurama). In the timeline I've created here, that strategy hasn't changed. Remember, the reason Naruto left the village to become a Sage in the cannon was because the situation had turned desperate - Jiraiya was dead and the Akatsuki was moving to directly attack the village with the intent to capture Naruto. That hasn't happened here. The situation never got THAT desperate so Naruto's training wasn't a gamble meant to save the village and prevent capture. Mastering nature chakra and entering Sage-mode in the universe where THIS FIC takes place was simply the next logical step in Naruto's training.

As far as I'm concerned, Naruto was always destined to become a Sage. The only thing that would have stopped that from happening would be if Jiraiya never took him as a student to begin with.

So there ya go. ;)


	15. aegis, part one

**AN: **I sent this to my beta a little over a week ago and haven't heard back from her yet. She's _extremely_ busy these days so I totally understand the delay, but this chapter may suffer a bit because I decided to post it before getting her feedback. Consider yourself warned. **  
**

There's another author's note at the end of the chapter that you might like. ;)

* * *

**dawning**

.:aegis, part one:.**  
**chapter fifteen

* * *

"Sakura-chan!"

Her name was said with such tangible concern that her body immediately reacted on a subconscious level. Strained muscles loosened, her body began to ease its production of adrenaline and her pounding heart finally began to slow. All at once, just knowing that Naruto was there, her most trusted friend, Sakura felt safe.

There was a time when she loathed that feeling within herself. When she believed that trusting him and knowing that he would protect her was a reflection of her own inability to protect herself, but she since learned that such fears were unfounded. Even if Sakura had somehow attained the god-like abilities of the Sage of Six Paths himself, Naruto would still be protective of her.

Just as she was protective of him and always would be.

Without pause or apology, Naruto pulled her against him into a tight embrace. "Your chakra kept fading," he murmured. "I was worried."

"I'm fine," she smiled and gave him a gentle squeeze. "It's a long story, but I'm really okay. Shikamaru took care of me."

"Don't do that again," he said as she began to pull away from him. "I about had a heart attack when..." he paused, his voice trailing off as his expression turned confused. "What happened to your hair?"

"You just now noticed?" she asked with mock hurt.

"You were... I thought you were dying!" He frowned when she smirked at him, "I expected to find you maimed or something. I thought... Your hair..."

"I cut it," Shikamaru said, his tone a bit too matter-of-fact, as though he managed Sakura's hair all the time. "Where are the others?"

"They're coming," Naruto said, waving his hand dismissively as he looked from Sakura to Shikamaru to Sakura again. It was clear that the topic of her new haircut was the most important subject on his mind. "But why?"

Gently pulling on a lock of hair between her thumb and forefinger, Sakura asked, "You don't like it?"

"I... well, I thought you..." Naruto paused, uncertain how to proceed. Clearly nervous, he bounced on his toes and rubbed the back of his head before trying again, "I just... you know, you kept it long..."

"Shikamaru cut it for the mission," Sakura explained, finally. "I like it."

"But you wouldn't cut it even when Tsunade-baa-chan suggested you do it for lab regulations and hospital stuff. You were really angry about it."

Arms crossed over her chest and voice taking on a tone of impatience, she said, "If you don't like it, Naruto, just say so."

"I didn't say that," he said, raising his hands in a defensive gesture. The action was instinctive. After years of working with his teammate, he knew her temper. "I like it! I just... didn't expect you'd ever..." he paused, hands dropping to his sides as he eyed her with a hint of doubt. "Wait... you're not really mad. What's going on?"

"That's unimportant right now, Naruto," Shikamaru said. "Where are the others?"

Still looking at Sakura with suspicion, he gestured with his thumb to the thick growth of trees behind him and seemingly on cue, the the foliage moved. A second later Temari emerged from the shadows, closely followed by Hinata. Sakura grinned at the welcome sight of her friends and teammates and began to move toward them when Shizune came into view. Upon seeing the pink-haired medic, the older woman squeezed past the others with a muttered apology and intercepted Sakura halfway. Before she had a chance to greet her, Shizune was pinching Sakura's chin, tilting her face up and peering intently into her eyes.

Naruto, thinking that the older medic was inspecting Sakura's new haircut, said, "Shikamaru cut it."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Naruto..."

"Hush," she commanded. Brows creasing together, Shizune continued her examination. "I don't see any pupil dilation or evidence of head trauma. Mobility appears fine..."

Sakura frowned.

"What happened?" she asked. "Your injuries appear superficial. I see bruises, a couple of minor scrapes and a lot of dirt. Naruto said your chakra was fading. Do you feel any poison in your system?"

"No," Sakura said. She began to pull back from Shizune only to have the older woman make a disagreeable 'tsk' sound from the back of her throat. "Zetsu tried to drain me of some chakra, but my body is still recovering from a Genjutsu. Shikamaru was able to interrupt it, but it left me feeling weak and a bit out of sorts."

"That wouldn't explain the chakra fading," Shizune murmured as she placed two glowing fingers against Sakura's left temple. The healing chakra felt warm and soothing as it tingled against her skin and pushed its way into her system. "Was it Itachi?"

Sakura whispered a faint 'yes.'

"You took a soldier pill," Shizune said.

"I had to force feed her," Shikamaru interjected. "It was only a C-type."

Shizune nodded. "It's already worn off but I can feel trace amounts of it still effecting her adrenal system," she said as she began to work in earnest. Hinata moved to stand beside Naruto as Temari watched the group of Konoha-nin without comment.

Expression thoughtful and eyes appearing distant, Shizune pushed more chakra into Sakura's system as she scanned her body for any sign of internal injury or ailment. She knew the other medic wouldn't find anything significant, but the flood of healing chakra pulsing through her felt invigorating. Already Sakura was starting to feel like herself again.

"That's a fake," Naruto said, breaking the silence as he pointed at the corpse of Zetsu's white half. "That's not his real body."

"I didn't think so," Shikamaru said, his scowl deepening. Then, looking at Hinata, he asked, "Do you see him nearby?"

"He's closing in on the others,"she said, looking in the direction that Zetsu was apparently traveling. "He'll come into contact with Itachi and Kisame soon. Kakashi's group has just confronted them."

"We don't have much time then," Temari muttered.

"Is Ami with them?" Sakura asked.

"Yes, she's with them."

"As soon as you feel better, Sakura-chan," Nauro said, "we'll go after them."

Sakura was about to reassure them that she _did_ feel better. As she opened her mouth to say as much she heard Shizune make another annoyed tutting noise. She glanced at the older woman and saw the silent command to stay quiet. Wisely, she did so.

"You seem to have taken Tsunade-sama's training about self-regeneration to heart," Shizune said as she began to gently withdraw her chakra from Sakura's body. "Perhaps a little too much."

The younger medic gave her a questioning look.

"I believe much of the weakness you have been feeling was simply due to your body naturally utilizing your chakra to heal itself," Shizune continued. "Whatever Genjutsu was used on you disrupted your chakra flow and confused your system for a while. You fought the technique a bit too hard, I think, and it over-taxed your system. It didn't help matters that while your body was trying to correct itself you had to engage an enemy. Regardless, you don't have any sort of sustained injury. I healed very superficial wounds." Peering intently at her, Shizune asked, "You _do_ feel okay now, don't you?"

Sakura closed her eyes and drew upon her chakra, feeling the energy circulate through her body with a steady pulse. While fighting Zetsu her chakra had felt chaotic. When she tried to summon it to perform moves that had become second nature to her, she felt it spike unnaturally high only to plummet to dangerous lows immediately afterward. Now it felt stable and calm. "Yes," she said, opening her eyes and smiling. "Thank you."

Shizune nodded, "Good. I think you're lucky to be alive. Both of you."

"If Itachi meant to kill us he would have. He had the opportunity," Shikamaru said. "In fact, he showed me where to find her after he incapacitated her." Several sets of curious eyes moved to peer in his direction, each asking the same unspoken question. He rubbed the back of his head and sighed, "I can't explain it myself, but I wouldn't have found Sakura as quickly as I did if not for him."

"The clan killer showing mercy?" Temari asked. "Sounds like a ploy."

"It was," Shikamaru agreed.

Sakura turned to look at him wondering what he meant by that. Did Shikamaru see a strategy that they didn't?

_'Of course he does,' _she thought, the corners of her lips curling into a hint of a smile. _'He always does.'_

• • •

There were five Kisame clones tearing up the landscape when they finally met up with the rest of their team. Shikamaru took in the tactical positions of every member of his squad as well as Kakashi's and realized quite quickly that the battle was more about creating confusion than it was about one side actually defeating the other.

'_No Itachi clones,_' Shikamaru thought curiously. '_And no sign of Itachi or Ami anywhere..._'

The odds seemed to be in their favor if one only went by numbers. There was one clone for every two of them, but they were not simple Kage Bunshins. They didn't disappear in a puff of smoke when stabbed with a kunai or hit with a Byakugan powered fist. They took the hit as though they were true flesh and blood and they seemed to cause as much damage as they could take.

'_Kisei Bunshin,_' Shikamaru thought as his eyes moved from one skirmish to the next. '_These are parasite clones, but where is Zetsu?_'

The shinobi formed pairs without instruction, each person naturally gravitating to the one with whom they had the most fighting experience or would best complement their fighting style. Neji stayed close to Hinata, Kakashi stood beside Naruto while Kankuro summoned a pair of his puppets as Temari shielded them both with her giant fan. Lee and Shino, as far as Shikamaru knew, didn't have much (if any) fighting experience together, but the two came together out of necessity and seemed to complement each other more than one would expect. With Lee's direct approach to fighting and Shino's mastery of subtle maneuvering, they were giving their Kisame clone a hard challenge.

All that remained were Shizune, Sakura and himself. The medics immediately fell back on their medical training, doing their best to stay behind their comrades as they fought but remaining close enough to help when needed. Shikamaru paused in alarm at the sight of Shizune bolting to her immediate left. She spat a pair of poisoned needles as Kisame's blurred form came into focus, then Kakashi appeared. His hands flew through a series of seals before slamming against the earth with a loud 'Crack!' The ground rumbled as stalagmites of rock shot up from the soil, forcing the Kisame clone to retreat several yards toward a waiting Naruto.

"They aren't trying to win. They're containing us," Shikamaru said as he moved to stand near the copy-ninja.

"I noticed that, too," Kakashi agreed. "Shino is tracking Itachi. He's nearby, we aren't sure why."

Shikamaru unsheathed Asuma's fist weapons. "Itachi should be fleeing with the target."

"That is unless they have another target or objective in mind that we are unaware of," Kakashi said.

The shadow-user frowned. If the Kisame clones weren't meant to delay them so that Itachi could flee with Ami, then they were being slowed down for another purpose. It was possible that they were after a secondary target or objective, but the suggestion seemed highly unlikely. They had purpose, intent, and Ami was it.

"They're expecting reinforcements," Shikamaru said, voice heavy with certainty. Who or what those reinforcements may be urged his naturally strategic mind to demand more detail.

"Find the girl," Kakashi said as he quickly glanced in Shikamaru's direction. "We need to be gone before more Akatsuki arrives."

"Agreed."

Conversation over, Shikamaru didn't want to waste any time, but he had to verify one last bit of information. He moved carefully toward Shino, all the while keeping track of their enemy and making note of the location and condition of his allies and friends. He caught sight of Sakura and his gaze lingered on her form much longer than was necessary. She was assisting Temari and Kankuro, her destructive power complementing their synchronized attack and putting the Kisame clone on the defensive. Sakura moved fluidly, her reactions only slightly slower than they normally would be, but overall she really did appear to be recovered. Still, doubt lingered in the back of Shikamaru's mind. Intellectually he knew that Sakura was fine, but there was a protective urge within him that demanded he keep a close eye on her.

Thousands of insects streamed from the arms and neck of Shino's jacket as Shikamaru approached, engulfing the shinobi in a cloud of moving blackness. "Do you still have your tracker insect on Sasuke?" Shikamaru asked, pitching his voice to be heard over the hum of the swarm.

Shino's chin dipped down a fraction of an inch, "Yes." Shikamaru waited, sensing that the shinobi was gathering additional information. The humming suddenly increased in volume, then the swarm divided in half. As the insects moved off into different directions, Shino turned toward his squad leader and said, "He escaped Suna a while ago and is headed this way."

"Shit," Shikamaru sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Itachi isn't far," Shino continued. "His movements are hindered and my insects detect blood. He may be injured."

"But you have their location?"

"Yes. Directly southwest, less than a mile."

Shikamaru opened his mouth to question him further when a rush of power moved past him, the speed creating small eddies of dust in the air. Naruto seemed to disappear from sight only to reappear inches from the clone that was gaining ground against Temari and Kankuro. It was then that Shikamaru noticed that the Kisame-clone that had been Naruto and Kakashi's opponent laid in an unrecognizable heap.

With the battle beginning to take a decisive turn in their favor, it would be unwise to give the enemy an opportunity to regroup. They had to maintain the pressure and push forward.

Now was the time to reacquire Ami. He would take Kakashi, Kankuro, Temari and Sakura with him. The others would have to remain behind to keep the enemy fully engaged. Kakashi and Kanuro would distract and entrap while Sakura, Temari and himself would reacquire – the plan was already taking shape in his mind – then they would escape. Flee. Once they had achieved safe distance, Shikamaru would complete the mission and destroy the target.

As he turned toward Shino to inform him of his intentions, the bug-user said, "We are being flanked."

His body moved without conscious thought, fingers and hands coming together to form the necessary seals to pull and reshape his chakra until it pooled on the forest floor around him. His senses on full alert and muscles tense, Shikamaru waited while his shadow danced anxiously between his feet.

Two men appeared in the clearing to his immediate left. They did not wear the standard black cloak with red clouds that the other Akatsuki members wore. Nor did they have a Hitai-ate, or any other identifying feature such as a logo or insignia. They were clearly ninja, but not ANBU. If they were, Shikamaru reasoned, he wouldn't be quite so damn sure that there was a third man concealing himself in the shadows nearby. They carried themselves with a confidence earned from several minor skirmishes, but not an actual hard battle. They were Jounin-level at best, pawns to be thrown out on the board to cause chaos and injury if possible.

It seemed ridiculous to Shikamaru that these men were the reason that Kisame and Zetsu's parasite clones were keeping them contained here. They were nothing special. Like all pawns they were expendable. Their role was to be quickly eaten up by a bishop or knight... and they _knew_ it. There was a resolution in their gaze, an understanding that they would probably die here, that told Shikamaru that they had nothing to lose. Their purpose was to further slow them down so that the target and her escorts could escape.

'_And yet Itachi remains nearby,_' Shikamaru thought. '_Why?Their strategy doesn't make any sense..._'

With the new arrivals came a pause in the battle. The Kisame-clones simultaneously backed off, creating gaps filled with anxious energy. Kakashi and Naruto wore similar frowns, Neji and Hinata seemed to be peering beyond the new arrivals, but it was Temari and Kankuro's reaction that seemed most peculiar. Before Shikamaru could wonder about their allies from Suna, Kisame's voice cut through the quiet.

"Where are the rest?" he asked, his lips curled into a grin as razor-sharp teeth glinted in the sunlight. If not for the blood-thirsty delight that shined in his eyes, the face-splitting grin would have made Might Guy jealous.

One of the men, the one furthest from the treeline, glanced over his shoulder but said nothing. Smart move, all things considered. Whether more shinobi were actually coming or not, the suggestion had been made that more were expected, but Shikamaru didn't believe it for a second.

'_Who are these guys?_' he thought. They were well-trained shinobi, but they were not on-par with the Akatsuki. Their clothing was plain, yet functional and their weapons could best be described as "standard-issue." There was nothing outwardly special about them. Whomever they swore their allegiance to wasn't obvious on sight, but the fact that they were there in a battle-ready stance was all Shikamaru needed to see.

An unnaturally strong current of air whipped past him, quickly followed by Temari's voice, thick with anger, "Since when do _bodyguards_ involve themselves in confrontations with the Akatsuki?"

None of the new arrivals spoke, but the way their eyes darted from Temari to Kankuro was enough.

"Anything we need to know?" Shikamaru asked as he spared Temari a quick glance.

"No," she said, raising her voice so that everyone around them could easily hear her words. "They're weak and pathetic, just like the man they're pledged to protect." Slamming the tip of the fan into the earth beside her, she unfolded the weapon in preparation for the next phase of battle. "Even so," she continued, her lips curling into a wicked grin, "I'd like to capture at least one of these bastards alive, but a head would do just fine, too."

With her words, the two men visibly tensed. One appeared shaken while the other was obviously angry. Their immediate emotional reaction to Temari's barbs only reinforced Shikamaru's assessment of their skill, but that didn't mean they should be taken lightly.

"I take it they're pledged to protect your Feudal Lord?" Shikamaru asked.

Temari's eyes never wavered as she glared at the two shinobi standing only a few yards away, "That's correct."

"So, capture," Shikamaru said as he began to thin and stretch his shadow in order to ensnare the newcomers. Just as his shadow became as narrow as a single thread he felt Temari give him a gentle nudge with her elbow.

"My brother and I have business with these traitors," she said. "Find your wife, Shikamaru. She's being reckless."

• • •

She saw her. Heart in her throat, eyes wide and nerves tingling – Sakura _saw_ her. And it was no illusion. Neji had told her where the girl was, but he had also warned her that Itachi was with her. Sakura didn't see him, but she sensed that he wasn't far. Taking a chance, she channeled chakra to her limbs and made a mad dash toward the girl. Only a few yards from Ami, she felt a familiar rush of chakra move past her and she immediately skidded to a halt.

"Show yourself," she hissed, hands curled into fists and eyes narrowed, "Uchiha Itachi!"

The currents of air twisted around her and she widened her stance on reflex. She didn't sense a genjutsu, but she felt him near like a breath on the back of her neck. She wasn't fooled. He was not behind her, nor was he concealed in the canopy of trees above her or hidden off to the side. He was in front of her, masking himself and waiting for her to turn her attention elsewhere.

Heart pounding hard in her chest, she tightened her fist as she peered at the spot she was certain Uchiha was camouflaging himself. With a shout she stomped the ground, sending chunks of soil and rock airborne. She punched the largest rock that came within range, sending it hurtling toward the area she suspected him to be hiding. The air quivered, then shifted, and a blur of black moved toward her.

Sakura jumped backwards, increasing the distance between them. Then she crouched into a ready stance, waiting. He stood in the same spot she had just been occupying, his shoulders relaxed and feet casually placed. His eyes moved over her in a quiet, unhurried assessment and Sakura scowled. The figure before her was no illusion, but the way he revealed himself was clearly meant to throw her off-guard. Her first instinct was to attack him before he could use his genjutsu against her, but Tsunade-shishou's training made her pause. At this moment, with her peers engaged in combat and a civilian clearly in need of medical care, Sakura's chakra no longer belonged to her alone. It belonged to the people she cared about.

She had to avoid him. Either draw him back toward the others or somehow manage to get around him and carry Ami to safety.

"You wish to take something that doesn't belong to you," he said.

Sakura clenched her jaw in annoyance, "She doesn't belong to you, either."

"Not personally, no," he agreed. "I am only meant to escort her elsewhere."

"Where?"

His expression carefully blank, he didn't respond.

"What is it your organization is trying to accomplish?"

The corners of Itachi's lips twitched upwards and she wondered if it was the question itself that amused him or her blunt attempt to fish for information. As expected, he still did not respond.

Spotting a streak of blood on his wrist, she asked, "Is that your blood?"

He glanced down at his hands, "No, that would be hers."

"You hurt her?"

"No."

Not believing him, Sakura took a step forward, "Then let me tend to her."

Itachi held his ground but said nothing more. She would have to try to out maneuver him somehow, but with his Sharingan that would be next to impossible. He'd see right though her every move and immediately counter. She'd have to lure him somehow, pull him toward Naruto and the others and hope that they could engage him long enough for her to double-back and retrieve the girl.

With that thought in mind, she bolted to the side and prayed that Itachi would advance toward her. He did not.

Instead he followed her parallel, never moving any closer, but never giving her a chance to move forward. If she moved backward, toward the group, he stopped. She quickly realized that Itachi was using his body to define the boundary of how close she could approach the girl. The unspoken message was clear: '_You'll have to get through me to get to the girl, but I will not make the first move.'_

Time seemed to compress around her as she gazed at Ami's prone form. The girl looked so vulnerable, so alone and unprotected. Jaw tightly clenched and fingers curled into tight fists, fury swelled within Sakura and she immediately reacted. Springing forward with chakra fueled speed, she launched herself at Itachi. She knew that the Sharingan would see the maneuver even before she completed it, but if she wanted to get to the girl she had no other choice but to fight. Eyes stubbornly focused on his torso, Sakura advanced upon her adversary, forcing him into a defensive posture.

"Let me though," she grunted as she showered him with splintered wood and stone.

He leaped out of the way of the debris, "I cannot."

"Do you want her to die?!" Sakura demanded, her frustration giving her words a hard edge.

"I do not," he said as he continued to evade her. "Is she truly dying?" he asked.

Her single-minded determination to reach the girl suddenly hiccuped upon hearing Itachi's words. She knew then that he really had no intention of fighting her.

"I don't need the Sharingan to see that she is in distress!"

"I believe that is a typical reaction to labor," Itachi said, his tone completely devoid of emotion but Sakura could have sworn she detected a note of sarcasm there.

Eyes narrowed, the medic refused to respond. What was Itachi's game? His goal seemed to be to keep her away from the girl, but wouldn't it be easier to do that if he simply attacked her instead of playing this bizarre game of keep-away? And now volunteering information about her medical condition...

Why?

Pushing herself forward, she twisted her body in mid-air and landed squarely on her left foot. Her heel smashed the earth in an explosion of rock and soil as she launched her body to the side and made another attempt to push herself closer to the girl. He would see though the move, the Sharingan guaranteed it, but he would still have to contend with rocks and flying debris before being able to get to her.

And then he was before her, again. Her forward momentum quickly put her within melee range and she pivoted her body as she prepared to engage him. He continued to evade her, but this time was different. This time she felt her knuckle graze his shoulder and knew that he was relaxing his stance. For the briefest of moments, she got the sense that he was purposefully letting his guard down, granting her an opening she wouldn't otherwise have.

'_What the hell is this?_' she thought. '_It's like he _wants _me to get past him..._'

Then he changed. His entire demeanor seemed to coil, like a snake preparing to strike, but he wasn't focused on her. His eyes looked past her, beyond her, to something she didn't have the ability to see.

"Another time, Haruno-san," he said as he inclined his head a mere fraction. The gesture was minute, but felt strangely polite. Before her mind could process the oddness of the moment she was suddenly engulfed in a murder of crows and Itachi was gone.

Wasting no time, Sakura rushed to Ami's side. Skin too pale and breathing labored, the girl was unconscious. Sakura pressed two chakra infused fingertips against her neck as she checked her vitals and was relieved to find that Ami was physically uninjured, but she was far from healthy. Her unconscious state was likely an after effect of a genjutsu, but Sakura did not detect an active jutsu on her.

The brief chakra scan that Sakura used told her two things: the girl's blood pressure was dangerously high and her chakra was very weak. That, combined with Itachi's claim that the girl was in labor, was more than a little worrisome.

Still, she had to be sure. Ami's wet clothing clearly announced that the baby was coming. There was no stopping it now, but it was possible that her water broke early and she still had hours yet to go. If that was the case, Sakura could easily take her back to Hitofuki and care for her there. That would be the ideal scenario.

But if Ami was in active labor... well... that could be a major problem.

Sakura carefully turned the girl so that she was laying flat on her back before resting a chakra-sensative hand on her swollen abdomen. She didn't have long to wait. Sakura felt Ami's body tense, her muscles tighten and coil painfully under her hand, and hold – ten seconds, then twenty, thirty, forty, fifty – Ami's eyes darted under closed eyelids, sweat gathered along her brow – then, finally, release.

'_Damn it!_' the pink-haired medic thought, dread forming a knot in her belly. That felt like an active labor contraction, but she would have to see how dilated Ami was to know for certain and the last thing Sakura wanted to do was prep the girl to deliver on a battlefield. Her choices few, Sakura began to gather the girl in her arms bridal style and prepared to flee to a safer location only to realize that her body was no longer under her control. Horror seized her as she searched the area for the enemy, then a flood of relief washed over her when her eyes landed upon Shikamaru.

• • •

He cursed under his breath as he watched her gather Ami in her arms. She was going to try to move her, as was standard operating procedure when attending to the severely injured on a battlefield, but now was hardly the time to separate oneself from one's comrades.

With a grunt, Shikamaru moved to intercept Sakura while forming the seals necessary to release his shadow-bind technique. Just as she was about to flee into the forest, he immobilized her. He felt her struggle against him as she searched out her enemy, then her body instantly relaxed when their eyes met.

"We stay together," he said.

"Fine," she adjusted her hold on the girl when his shadow bind retreated from her. "We have to move her."

"Move her where?"

"Some place safe, away from the battle."

Shikamaru glanced over his shoulder, then said, "Our friends are fighting the enemy at that tree line and that is where the fight will stay. Treat her here."

"That's crazy!" Sakura protested. "They're barely twenty yards away. This isn't a shinobi with a battle wound, this is a pregnant woman about to deliver!"

Shikamaru scowled. "How long until she...?"

Sakura glanced down at the girl, "I don't know, but the plan to terminate in the womb isn't going to happen. Not without putting Ami at risk, too. I'm not going to cause her any additional harm, so we need to move her so I can treat her. Now."

After a beat of silence, he said, "We can't."

The instant the words left his mouth, Sakura's face immediately flushed with anger as her eyes narrowed dangerously. Shikamaru recognized the unspoken warning of a temper about to snap, but there was nothing he could do to diffuse her ire. The truth was the truth.

"Do what you can, but do it here. This location is the best option we have."

"Bull_shit_," she growled and he felt his patience begin to ebb at her stubbornness. "I have a job to do. The Hokage wants her alive, the Kazekage wants her alive. I'm the medic and I'm telling you we need to move!"

Hands clenched tightly at his sides, Shikamaru did his best to reign in his growing frustration. Didn't she understand that she was in danger simply because she wished to protect the civilian? The Akatsuki would think nothing of killing Sakura in order to reacquire Ami. He wouldn't allow that to happen and it infuriated him that she seemed so oblivious to the threat.

"It's not safe anywhere and you know it," he said, voice hard. "At least here we are within range of our colleagues should we require their support."

"We're also within range of our enemies!"

"Who are presently engaged!" he countered.

Sakura glared at him, then looked back down at the girl in her arms.

"Where would you have taken her?" he demanded, his worry for her safety was making his entire body feel tight with anxiety. He wanted to help Sakura - protect her - not make her angry. Truthfully, he wasn't surprised by her outburst. He knew her well enough to expect her to want to do everything she could to help her patient, but not at the cost of her own life. He wouldn't allow it.

"Fleeing the battlefield with the injured makes tactical sense when that injured person isn't the primary target," he said, carefully pitching his voice to a much more neutral tone. "You are letting your concern for the girl override your logic. Our orders are to eliminate the fetus. That can be done here."

"Not without hurting Ami," she said. "She is going to deliver and childbirth is dangerous even under the best conditions. Any number of things can go wrong. This girl isn't healthy, the least we can do for her is prevent further harm, or worse."

"You think she is in that much danger?" he asked.

"I think with her elevated blood pressure and low chakra that she can die without proper treatment, yes."

Sighing, Shikamaru rubbed the back of his neck and quietly said, "We can't Sakura. I'm sorry, but you're going to have to tend to her here."

Sakura clenched her jaw in frustration. "Shikamaru-"

"The battle will follow you wherever you go," he interrupted. "Our teammates are doing all they can to make this mission a success. If we leave I guarantee that we will draw one of them off, away from our allies, and we will be forced to deal with them. If that happens then Ami won't get any medical attention at all."

She hesitated as she peered down at her patient.

"This is the best we can do for her," he said as he fully merged his shadow with hers, linking them together. She felt his jutsu and glanced up at him sharply. "I won't interfere with your work. I'll cover you while you tend to her."

He felt her indecision, her stubbornness – the way her muscles tensed, ready to resist his jutsu. Her whole body seemed to thrum with the need to remove Ami from the battlefield.

"Trust me," he said. "Tend to your patient. I won't let anything happen to you."

His words had the desired effect. Her posture became slightly less rigid, the stubborn lift of her chin began to soften – then she took a deep breath and knelt. With great care Sakura laid Ami's unconscious body in the grass, then retrieved her med-pack and canteen. Shikamaru watched as she pulled at Ami's clothing, carefully exposing her rounded belly while doing her best not to compromise her modesty. Even several feet away, Shikamaru could see the pattern of stretch marks that lined the girl's abdomen, some were faded and old, some were bright red and looked almost painful. Sakura ran a hand across the marks, inspecting them with a curious glint in her eyes as she murmured something under her breath. Sitting back, she took a deep breath and performed a series of hand seals that looked similar to what she had done when she offered to treat his back pain almost a week ago. When she rested both palms against Ami's stomach, Shikamaru guessed that the technique must be the equivalent of a medical scan, only instead of using an x-ray or ultrasound, she was using chakra. After several seconds, she glanced up at him, her expression tight with worry.

"Her condition is deteriorating. Her blood pressure..." Sakura paused as though searching for the right words. "She's not right. Her entire system, everything..."

"What do you mean?"

"I... I don't know," she said. "I felt her chakra earlier and it was weak, now it seems to be fighting me... but it doesn't feel right. I don't understand it. All I know for certain is that her blood pressure is really a major problem. She could start having seizures soon."

"Can you stabilize her?" Shikamaru asked.

"The only way to stabilize her at this point is to perform a caesarean," Sakura said, her voice thick with worry as she peered down at the young woman. "But if her chakra continues to fight me, I won't be able to heal her quickly. With her body so weak I'm afraid she'll bleed out and die."

.

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**AN:** Believe it or not, the next chapter is done.

Yeah, I know. Crazy!

Now THAT one may require the second opinion of my beta before I post it, but I thought you'd all be happy to know that it's done. I expect to post it within the next 2- to 4-weeks. Hopefully sooner, but as I said, it really does require a second opinion. (Believe me, no one more than me wants to finish this thing.)

That having been said, I have one more chapter to write (after chapter 16, 'aegis, part 2') and I have already begun work on it. I will post updates to my profile regarding the status of the fic so check there for news.

Thank you for reading this and supporting me over the... well... _years_. Your feedback, reviews, emails, PMs are very encouraging.


	16. aegis, part two

**AN: **Happy Valentine's Day! ;)

Consider this my gift to you for sticking with me through the... uh... _years_.

Be warned that this chapter has NOT been through my beta. She is super busy with work & family and I don't have the heart to beg her to do something as frivolous as beta read for me. As always, I am open to constructive feedback.

.

* * *

**Dawning**

.:aegis, part 2:.  
chapter sixteen

* * *

In the place where the sandy desert ended and the river-fed forest that surrounded Hitofuki began, his brother stood silently and alone. He didn't look that unlike a wraith with his sun-starved complexion, dark clothing and lean frame agitated and sullen. There was no moment to savor upon seeing him for the first time in almost two years, no inkling of the boy that once was — there was just a young man, twisted with bitterness, with his head slightly bowed and eyes closed, waiting.

Itachi observed him for several moments, noting the dark stain on his neck marking the remnant of Orochimaru's curse seal. Tsunade had attempted to remove it, but the core remained — which meant Orochimaru's chakra also remained. Eventually he would have to use the Totsuka Sword to seal it away forever, but today was not the day. Itachi couldn't afford to engage his brother in a battle that intense. Not yet.

'_Why don't you join your teammates, Sasuke?_' He wondered, a frown pulling at his lips, '_Why don't you go and help them?'_

Itachi had thought — _hoped_ — that Sasuke would mature. That he would see with adult eyes and reason with an adult brain, but that had yet to happen. There was no comprehension of the bigger picture and his place in it, no seeing of the overarching manipulations that required great personal sacrifice in order to thwart. It was heartbreaking, really, to see how little growth there actually was. Whether his brother realized it or not, he had stunted himself. Not only as a shinobi, but as a human being, when he sought to acquire power not his own. The boy he had once been was sweet and kind with a happiness that seemed to radiate from him of its own volition.

Now it was difficult to recognize him.

Itachi breathed deeply as he watched his younger brother, pushing back the familiar curl of nagging guilt that tangled itself within his innards, causing him to feel a tingle of queasiness. There was no regret in his decision to prevent a coup, but there was quite a bit when it came to how deeply he had scarred his brother. Itachi had counted on that sweet disposition, that goodness, to prevail — to drive Sasuke to seek justice and not revenge. He had counted on his brother to look toward the future instead of chaining himself to the past.

He did none of those things.

"Come out, Itachi."

It was a command, not a request. The difference was quite plain in the vocal tone that Sasuke used. Itachi considered openly approaching him, without the use of clones or genjutsu, but with Zetsu watching it would be unwise to do so. The Akatsuki knew that Itachi intended to give his brother the fight he was longing for. To confront Sasuke now without direct deceit would imply that he intended to have that fight today.

Sasuke wasn't ready for such a fight and neither was Itachi. There was still too much left to do — information to gather and plans to uncover — Itachi could not die. Not yet.

And Sasuke... he was an easy mark. Too easy. Without Itachi for Sasuke to focus on, the Akatsuki would gladly provide an alternative. They wanted him already. Itachi could at least protect him in this one way while also granting him a bit more time to mature.

"Your cowardice knows no bounds," Sasuke said, voice full of vitriol.

Creating two shadow clones, Itachi sent the first one out to meet with his brother. It stepped out from the shadows as though materializing from nothingness to stand before Sasuke with an air of detached indifference.

"Why aren't you with your teammates?" the Itachi-clone asked.

"I don't have any 'teammates,'" he said. "Why are you hiding? Are you afraid to face me?"

The Itachi-clone gave a patronizing smile. "You're not ready yet, Sasuke."

His brother's form blinked, only to reappear behind his shadow clone, kunai in hand. He struck and the clone dissolved into a murder of crows, only to reform again seconds later.

"You're not ready," the Itachi-clone repeated as the second clone stepped out from the shadows, "Go back to your teammates. Go back to Konoha."

Sasuke stood to his full height, shoulders back and hands comfortably at his sides. He gave the appearance of a man with no worries or concerns, but his eyes shined with a coldness that betrayed him.

"I am here for you, not them," he said. "They do nothing but hold me back. I saw you earlier, toying with Sakura. Her skills are laughable, just like the rest of them. I gain nothing by staying with them, but I knew if I remained close to the Kyubi, you would eventually reappear," his lips curled into a pleased smirk, "And here you are."

"You are foolish," the Itachi-clone said. It blinked once, twice, then suddenly brushed past Sasuke before sitting on a fallen tree trunk. From his hiding place, Itachi watched his clone peer at Sasuke as his brother peered back. Neither said a word for several seconds, then Itachi felt a displacement in the air — a suggestion of a breeze — and knew his brother was attempting a strike.

Itachi performed a replacement jutsu with plenty of time to avoid Sasuke's blade, but his brother's strategy had worked. He had been forced to move from his hiding place. The tactic was well executed, but the fact that he had felt it coming was evidence that Sasuke was letting his emotions rule him. He was itching for violence, flirting with open aggression and forgetting the most basic rules of subtlety as he fought desperately to maintain an illusion of control.

And that was all it was, an illusion.

Calling forth his chakra, Itachi felt his eyes tingle and itch as the irises changed pattern. He would poke at Sasuke some more to gauge his emotional state and adjust the power of his Mangekyō Sharigan accordingly. His brother didn't need to be thrust into illusion for very long, just a few moments. Long enough to keep him distracted so Itachi could finish his mission.

"You see weakness in others where there is strength and yet you still think you are ready to have your revenge," Itachi said as he began to weave a series of hand signs. Perhaps this illusion would give his brother something to think about, some perspective. "Or do you simply project your own weaknesses onto others in order to fool yourself into thinking you're actually strong?"

A rush of malevolence surged against him and Itachi couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment with how easily he was able to goad his brother into thoughtless action. Still, it worked in his favor. Sasuke's anger made him emotionally vulnerable, which made him all the more susceptible to the influence of the Sharigan.

"I have witnessed Haruno-san's skills in battle three times today, and she has impressed me each time," Itachi said. "Yet you think she is weak."

"She _is_ weak," Sasuke said, his eyes changing. "All of them are."

Itachi eased more chakra out, letting it flow from his gaze as his brother's pride kept him rigid and unblinking. There was no hint of doubt within Sasuke, no concept of the possibility of failure. For a mere second, barely the span of a single breath, Itachi was tempted to surrender to his emotional fatigue and give his beloved brother what he so dearly wanted. The burden of blood sometimes felt unbearable, and his dreams often worse.

As soon as the thought whispered through his mind, he caught a shiver of movement in the canopy above him. Zetsu was still there, still watching, and over a decades worth of callouses suddenly hardened around Itachi's soul. Pushing more chakra out of his eyes, he silently willed Sasuke to maintain his unwavering, hate-filled stare for another three seconds. Just long enough to yank the hook through his mouth, and reel.

Sasuke's shoulder twitched, tensed... and then he was caught.

"It would probably surprise you to know that Haruno-san has a degree of fame that you do not," Itachi said, his voice taking on a tone of deceptive comfort. "I doubt even she is aware of her own reputation, yet you think you deserve notoriety." With a flick of his wrist, Itachi's form increased in size, his height blocking out the sun. Sasuke stared up at him, eyes red and bright. "You have yet to truly realize that while I live, you remain in my shadow while a person like Haruno will always shine with their own light – a light earned through true hard work and growth, without borrowing the power of others, as you have done."

A screeching sound was the only warning Itachi had before Sasuke's clone slammed a Chidori into his illusionary self, destroying the image and temporarily disrupting the genjutsu.

"My power is my own!" Sasuke yelled as he prepared another attack.

Itachi didn't let him finish. In a flash, he reached out and grasped his younger brother's crown of black hair, curling his fingers into the thick mass as he pushed his head back to peer into his eyes. He didn't have enough chakra to spare to use a full-powered Tsukuyomi on Sasuke, but he had enough to make his point.

"You covet the power of others and impatiently wish to leap forward because you believe yourself entitled, so you sought out Orochimaru," he said as he worked to ensnare Sasuke's mind. His brother resisted, his strength of will forcing Itachi to press harder. His stubborn defiance stirred a shiver of pride within Itachi. Perhaps his assessment of his brother's growth was a bit too harsh, but still not entirely untrue. Infusing more precious chakra into his illusion, he continued, "You assume weakness in others and dismiss them out-of-hand because of your impatience. You don't know what power is, Sasuke."

Itachi poured his memories of what he saw earlier that day into the Tsukuyomi he created for his little brother, showing him the strength of his teammates that he so easily belittled. Eyes wide and mouth hanging slightly open, Sasuke watched as Sakura stood up Itachi without flinching, how she was able to resist his genjutsu far longer than many of the best shinobi ever could and how quickly she recovered from his attack and was able to effectively defend herself against Zetsu shortly thereafter.

As the memories flashed through the illusion Itachi created, he was careful to emphasize her eyes — clear, green and purposeful — and completely normal. She didn't have the benefit of hailing from a ninja clan or the advantage of a kekkei genkai. Her power came from determination, training and courage. But to truly emphasize his point, to ensure that Sasuke would understand what Itachi was trying to teach him, he made sure to repeat his earlier statement within his brother's mind: '_You see weakness in others where there is strength... or do you simply project your own weaknesses onto others...?_'

• • •

He should have worked harder to end it sooner — before Sakura took off on her own, before the bodyguards showed up, before the Zetsu clones began to swarm them — but he didn't.

When dealing with the Akatsuki, Naruto knew to expect the unexpected. They never revealed their true strength, their 'ace card' as Tsunade-baa-chan would call it, until they had to. After all, it seemed that neither side wanted to hurt the target so there wasn't a sense that they were dealing with a hostage situation. Still, Gaara and Tsunade-baa-chan wanted the girl for questioning and a medical exam so Kakashi had stressed that it was important not to push the battle too hard. So Naruto didn't.

Then Sakura took off.

Then the bodyguards showed up.

Then Temari freaked out.

Then the overall tone and pace of the fight changed completely.

It began to surge forward in the direction that Sakura had gone. The Konoha and Suna shinobi were maneuvered backward, around trees and bushes and muddy terrain until Naruto caught sight of a disheveled head of pink hair out of the corner of his eye. Zetsu clones were crawling out of roots and tree trunks and they were leaping, flying, running everywhere — at him, at his teammates, at Sakura. The world around him was just a blur of motion and Naruto moved without thinking. Hands weaving signs and his clones filling the empty space around him, his body reacted to the threat posed against his best friend on emotion and instinct. Sakura, kneeling on the ground with her back turned toward the fight, was completely focused on her patient.

Then he saw a streak of white and black fly toward her. Sakura didn't see, didn't know, and Naruto launched himself toward his teammate only to see the top half of her body suddenly move to the right and duck down, expertly evading the incoming attack. Relief instantly soothed Naruto's worry when he saw Shikamaru there, too, obscured by umbrage. His shadow was all around her, creating a dark shield of protection that reacted to Shikamaru's thoughts.

"Naruto!"

He turned at the sound of his name, the militant tone in Kakashi's voice demanding his full attention. "Let's go."

The unspoken message was clear and it seemed to be felt by all. '_Let's finish this_.'

The battle took on a new level of intensity. The Zetsu clones pushed and the shinobi from Konoha and Suna pushed back. Neji and Hinata destroyed one, Shino's bugs drained the chakra from another and Naruto's Rasengan obliterated a third. Still, the Zetsu clones seemed desperate to inch closer to Sakura — or more specifically — the target. The enemy knew they weren't going to reach the target with brute force, so they relied on numbers instead. Where once there were three clones, there were suddenly six, then twelve, then twenty-four. But the sudden increase in numbers came at the sacrifice of power. Though they were overwhelming the battlefield with their presence, they were also easier to destroy.

Maimed and dismembered Zetsu clones littered the ground, only to slowly decay into what appeared to be dead plant-matter and old blood. It was exhausting trying to keep up with wave after wave of clones and soon Naruto was tapping into the Kyubi's chakra to maintain the pressure.

"Sasuke is here," Shino suddenly announced. Naruto felt his body react to the news with a rush of power and knew immediately that his eyes were no longer blue. Just the mention of Sasuke's name created an emotional shift in the group that ranged from uncertainty to outright anger. Kankuro was the most vocal of all when he let loose a string of obscenities quickly followed by a promise of bodily harm if that '_fucking asshole did anything to our people._'

Naruto found he couldn't disagree with the puppet-user's overall sentiment, but now they had something else to worry about. Sasuke could easily give them a decisive win if he joined them, or he could completely screw them over. Unfortunately, both options seemed possible and Naruto couldn't help but to expect the worst.

After a few seconds, Neji provided additional information as he peered into the dense forest, "He's with Itachi."

"Of course he is," Naruto said, his voice tinged with bitterness.

"Are they headed our way?" Kakashi asked just before summoning his Ninken. The group of dogs didn't spare him a glance as they scattered into the fray. Pakkun remained behind, seating himself beside the copy-nin as he awaited further instructions.

"No," Neji said, his jaw twitching as he scanned the forest. "They are near the border of Hitofuki. They're fighting."

"Then leave him to his brother," Kakashi sighed. "We need to focus on our objective. Temari, how much weight can you transport using your fan?"

"I have enough chakra left to safely transport two adults about three miles," she answered. "But that's assuming I'm not trying to evade attack."

"And if you are?"

She considered for a moment, then said, "A mile at most."

The copy-ninja nodded, "That's enough. I need you to lead an escape team with Hinata and Lee. Rendezvous with Sakura and Shikamaru, and secure the target. Shikamaru's team will provide your immediate cover, if needed. The rest of us will hold off the enemy for a while longer, then we'll catch up."

"We should try to meet somewhere to regroup," she said. "It would be unwise to remain separated."

"Agreed. You and Kankuro know the terrain better than we do. Where should we meet?" Kakashi asked as he pulled a scroll from his pocket and wiped a smear of blood across it before tossing it to Pakkun. The dog easily caught it in his mouth, but he remained quietly in place.

Kankuro scratched his chin as he considered, the action smudging some of his face paint. "How about the dunes just south of Mount Komaki?"

"Good idea," Temari grinned.

"Pakkun," Kakashi said, glancing down at the dog, "you know what to do."

The dog looked to the east, toward Suna as he spit out the scroll Kakashi had given him. "Watch yourself," he said, then his body blurred and he was gone, the only evidence of his passing was the trail of dust he left behind.

"He's going to warn Gaara?" Naruto asked.

Kakashi barely nodded as his hands came together to form the necessary seal to create a pair of shadow clones. "Let's get starting. Temari, be ready when-"

"Wait," Shino said, his body covered in bugs and his tone perfectly even as he peered at the copy-nin. "I believe we can expect another offensive push. My insects sense that it is about to be born."

"Naruto, punch a hole through them," Kakashi said. "Neji, Shino, Kankuro — pick up the strays. The rest of you know what to do."

As Naruto began to form another Rasengan, a disembodied voice reverberated through the trees.

"Mission failure."

With those two words, the clones immediately began to drop lifelessly to the ground. The allied shinobi stood in confused silence as their opponents appeared to be giving up. Even the bodyguards of the Feudal Lord seemed uncertain about what to do next. They stood silently, shifting their weight from one foot to another as they scanned the shadows and trees for some explanation, some kind of direction or indication about what to do next.

With their guard down and their minds unfocused they were an easy target for Kankuro.

With a cry of shock and terror, one of the bodyguards was violently seized by a puppet. He was yanked backwards, off his feet and dangled in the air almost three feet off the ground. Before he could shout for help his body was enveloped in a tangle of unyielding arms that coiled around his torso tight enough to make the man gasp for breath. Eyes wide with fear, he was drawn back, toward the group and made prisoner within Black Ant's body.

Naruto glanced at Kankuro and saw him smirk over his prize. "One down," he murmured, his fingers twitching as they manipulated the chakra strings that linked him to his puppets.

"We only need _one,_" Temari said, her tone borderline admonishing. Kankuro looked at her askance and grinned when he saw the satisfaction shining in her eyes. She shrugged, "The others will be a pain-in-the-ass to escort back home."

Kankuro grunted in response.

"But we can't very well have them running back to the Feudal Lord now, can we?" she asked.

The corner of his lip twisted upwards and Kankuro spread his arms wide, fingers splayed. The forest suddenly seemed to come alive with movement. His puppets surged forward, closing in on their targets and the twist of his lips turned into a predatory smirk. As one bodyguard was brought down the air cracked with an ear-piercing sound that made everyone's chest rattle. The group stilled, eyes wide and searching.

Lee turned toward the group, his expression just as bewildered as Naruto felt, and asked, "Was that thunder?"

There was no time to answer, let alone think. "Jump!" Kakashi ordered, and everyone did, but for most it was too late. The solid earth beneath their feet had turned to mud, the density of the soil felt heavy with clay and it pulled like quicksand. Only a handful of them had managed to completely avoid the snare. As the group scrambled to free themselves and each other, another sound, much more ominous than the first, filled the air. Instinctively knowing that something bad was about to happen, they worked frantically to regain their freedom just as Kakashi yelled, "Brace yourselves!"

Then Kisame's wall of water hit.

• • •

Retrieving the infant only took a matter of seconds. Once she made the final cut, it was a simple matter of just reaching in and pulling it out. She expected to hear a piercing cry and feel the tiny thing shiver in her hands from the unexpected cold of the outside world.

But there was nothing.

Her instinct was to begin resuscitation, to flood the undersized body with chakra and attempt to kick-start his heart, but Sakura knew it would be futile. Whatever the Akatsuki had been attempting to do, it had obviously failed. Even if the baby, a boy, had been born alive, it wouldn't have survived long. The body was wrong. The defects far too severe.

She felt Shikamaru move near her as she cut the cord. Sakura hesitated for a moment, holding the lifeless body and feeling uncertain what to do next. Gaara's orders had been fulfilled, though indirectly. The child was dead and Ami was in their care. She knew instinctively that both Konoha and Suna would want to examine the body so they would have to keep it as evidence. Regardless of what the Akatsuki had been trying to do, the loss of life, even life meant to be used as a weapon, still made Sakura's heart ache.

Resigning herself, Sakura moved to lay the child on the ground beside her when Shikamaru offered to take him. Without a word he took the baby from her hands, freeing her to tend to the mother. Sakura mumbled a quiet 'thanks' as she carefully and neatly closed the cuts she had made, pouring her concentration into the task. Ami's chakra was almost entirely depleted, which was both a curse and a blessing. Her body didn't have the strength to resist her chakra like it did when Sakura first began, but neither was she showing any early signs of recovery. Her blood pressure was still much too high. The only option the medic had was to close her wounds and hope that Ami would stabilize until they could get her to a medical facility.

"The fight is getting desperate," Shikamaru said, voice low.

She didn't spare him a glance. "Just a few more seconds and I'll be done," Sakura murmured.

Shikamaru shifted beside her, his discomfort evident. As the last cut was finally closed, she wiped her brow with her sleeve and felt the weight of the day suddenly press down upon her. With a deep sigh, she peered up at Shikamaru and her throat tightened with emotion. His profile was set in a determined expression as he scanned the battlefield behind them. His long-sleeved shirt was gone, leaving him with only his mesh undershirt under his Jounin vest. Cradled in his arms and wrapped in that same long-sleeved shirt, was the stillborn baby.

'_He didn't have to do that_,' Sakura thought, feeling moved by the simple act of kindness. The well of emotion within her continued to build, prompting her to speak. It wasn't the right time, not by any stretch of the imagination. She knew that, but after the events of the last few days and now, seeing the way he was holding the tiny baby, Sakura needed to say something. She needed to express her appreciation to the man standing before her. Whether he realized it or not, he had been a source of strength and support during some of the most emotionally difficult moments of their mission and he deserved to know that she was grateful for it.

"Sh- Shikamaru, I—"

Without sparing her a glance, he shushed her with an upraised palm, interrupting her in mid sentence. The gesture was borderline rude, but before she could feel annoyed by it she heard a distant roar of sound that reminded her of thunder. Something was happening. Pushing aside her feelings, she began to pull Ami into her arms in preparation to move when Shikamaru yanked her to her feet.

• • •

They were after the corpse. The certainty of that fact came to him as soon as he realized what was about to happen. Where before the Akatsuki had been satisfied with maintaining them in one place — now the intent was to scatter and kill. With the infant dead, there was no risk in harming their primary objective, and now their enemy was free to destroy everything as much as they saw fit.

The situation turned from bad to dire. Shikamaru didn't know if Sakura was aware of the full extent of their predicament or not, but it was too late to ask. They needed to get the hell out of there, and now.

His first thought was to simply order her to flee while he took off in a different direction with the baby. That way, he reasoned, the Akatsuki would ignore her and follow him instead. With any other kunoichi, it would have been a fine strategy, but not with Sakura. Not in her current state-of-mind. For as deadly as Sakura could be in a fight, she was also one of the most compassionate people he knew. She would be never risk the life of a civilian to save herself. She would protect the girl, no matter what.

That was troublesome. Sakura, who was not only his responsibility, but a woman he cared about, was not someone he was willing to lose. He'd already experienced that scare earlier in the day and he would be damned it he'd go through it again. A plan already forming in his mind, he thrust the infant into Sakura's arms and ordered her to run to the widest, tallest tree in their vicinity and pray that it would survive the coming flood. At least for a few moments.

"What are you doing?" she demanded when Shikamaru picked up the girl and hefted her over his shoulder. "You can't do that! Her wounds—!"

"Go!" Shikamaru ordered as he pointed to the tree he wanted her to climb. He had anticipated that she would react that way, which was why he didn't leave it to her to move the girl — she would have wasted too much time being careful when what they really needed to do was hurry. "Now! GO!"

She ran and he followed. With chakra-enhanced feet, they sprinted straight up the trunk, weaving between branches and boughs until they reached the top. They managed to get a few feet above the flood of water when it came crashing through. The tree shook violently as smaller trees all around them cracked and broke. Their tree bent frighteningly far, but didn't break. At least, not yet. Shikamaru knew it was only a matter of time, they were in no way safe, but they had a couple of minutes to formulate a plan.

Quickly lowering the unconscious girl to the bough, he propping her up against the trunk of the tree and held her in place with one hand. "Give me the infant," he said, beckoning with his other hand. "You take care of her."

Sakura complied without question. Using her shoulder to push the girl back against the trunk, she quickly performed a series of seals that made her fingers glow a shade of green he had never seen before. She placed her palms against Ami's shoulders, pushing her back against the trunk before bowing her head in concentration.

"Okay," she said after a handful of seconds. "My chakra should prevent her from falling for a while."

Shikamaru blinked in surprise. "She's stuck there?" he asked.

Sakura nodded, "Until I release her or something disrupts her equilibrium, but we can't leave her like that."

He nodded, noting how unnaturally straight the girl was sitting in her unconscious state. She could easily drown like that if the water came up over her head or the tree finally broke. Someone would have to stay with her, hide her, then transport her when the tree began to show signs of breaking.

"They're coming for us," Sakura said, pulling Shikamaru from his thoughts. "What should we do?"

Instead of answering, he asked her a question of his own. "How much chakra do you have left?"

"Not enough for another confrontation with Zetsu," she said, "or anyone else for that matter. I need to conserve what I have left in case our teammates need healing. Naruto and the others were probably caught up in the water. Should we try to go down-stream?"

"No," he muttered as he studied their surroundings. He hated the idea of leaving her, but the scenarios churning through his mind didn't offer him any other choice.

"Do you have enough to cloak yourself and Ami with that invisibility jutsu?" he asked.

"Well, I..." she paused as she considered, then, "What are you planning?"

"Do you have enough chakra to cloak yourself?" he asked again.

She frowned at him, "Yes." Peering at him intently, she stepped toward him. "Why didn't you say 'us?' I have enough to cloak all _three_ of us."

Shikamaru bit the inside of his cheek and did his best not to scowl.

"You're planning something," she said. "You're thinking of leaving."

"They're after the corpse, Sakura."

"So you're thinking of taking off with it?" she asked. "And leaving me here? That's crazy!"

"It's the only viable option," he said.

"Viable?!" she scoffed. "What's 'viable' about you running off to get yourself killed?"

"I've considered over 223 possible scenarios, 198 of which included the primary goal of keeping both Ami and the baby in our possession. Without our team making a sudden reappearance, none of the scenarios end favorably."

"There's nothing 'favorable' about us separating," she argued. "You said that we needed to stick together!"

"They're after _us_, Sakura. They're after what we have. I'm not going to risk you getting hurt, or worse, because of a damn corpse," he said, tone final.

"Maybe they're after Ami."

"They're not," he said.

"But that baby is dead and Ami is alive!"

"They wouldn't use this kind of tactic if they still needed Ami or simply wanted to get away," he said. "The reason they used this much water is because there's no risk to the target. It's already dead, therefore, they're after the corpse."

Sakura paused, took a deep breath and tried once more to appeal to him. "We can't separate, Shikamaru," she said, her voice taking on a more pleading tone. "You can't—"

"I told you that I wouldn't let anything happen to you," he interrupted. Why couldn't she understand that he had already thought this through? Frustrated, he stepped toward her, his face mere inches from hers. Her eyes widened at his closeness and he got the distinct sense that she expected him to kiss her. The thought almost struck him funny for how cliche it seemed, but he had to admit that once the idea entered his brain, he had a hard time ignoring it. He needed to touch her, not just to reassure her but to reassure himself. He pressed his palm against the side of her neck and he felt her pulse with his thumb. The corners of his lips quirked upwards as he moved his hand to her shoulder before slowly sliding it down her arm to grasp her hand in his.

"I'm not going to risk you getting hurt," he told her. "Not again."

"Shikamaru," she whispered, eyes bright with her desire that he remain by her side. It was that look that gave him pause, that forced his mind to race through other scenarios, other possibilities — anything to give her what she wanted. Then she squeezed his hand, her grip firm and unyielding. "I need you."

The sound of laughter echoed through the trees, the bass-like sound too familiar for their comfort. Suddenly the water swelled, budding into something that reminded Shikamaru of a giant mouth of shark teeth. It slammed into them, pushing them off the branch and into Kisame's water trap. The currents swirled around them violently, forcing them down as it drove them further from the surface. The deeper they went, the darker the water became from the mud and debris churned up as it crashed through the forest. Shikamaru couldn't see much of anything, but he felt Sakura's hand secure in his own and that gave him a small measure of comfort.

He felt her frantically pull at his arm, tugging him upward as she fought against the push of the water. They were at a severe disadvantage under the water. In order to get to the surface, they would have to work together, but attempting to swim while holding onto her and the infant quickly proved fruitless when faced with the strength of the current. It was an easy decision at that point. There was no hesitation, no second guessing or fear of reprimand when he let go of the corpse in favor of survival. The water was too dark for him to see what became of it, if it simply floated away with the current or was snatched away by an unseen hand. All he knew to do at that point was to tighten his hold on Sakura and swim, before the enemy attacked or his brain became too starved for oxygen and clear thinking became impossible, or both.

Seconds felt like hours as they fought to reach air and they both gasped for breath as they broke the surface of the water. As Sakura coughed water from her lungs, Shikamaru studied their surroundings to try to get an idea how far downstream they traveled. He was surprised to realize that they were still within easy reach of Ami.

"Come on," Shikamaru said, using chakra-enhanced limbs to pull himself completely out of the water.

As he helped Sakura to her feet, she said, "Ami is still up there. Why didn't they take her? Should we go to her?"

"There's no time," Shikamaru said as he watched the water churn beneath their feet. They were in real trouble here, too. His shadow techniques didn't do well on water and as far as he knew, Sakura didn't have any water-based attacks or defenses. Things were not looking good. "Get ready, Sakura," he warned. They waited, tense and alert as eddies seemed to surround them, but no enemy immediately appeared.

The few trees still standing around them shook with a noise that sounded distinctly like a croak as the water abruptly surged, the movement nearly causing them both to stumble. There was a beat of silence, a stillness that filled the air and felt almost oppressive. The swirling eddies of water that had danced around their feet only moments before disappeared completely.

'_The calm before the storm?_' he wondered. He turned toward Sakura to assess her state-of-mind and was surprised to see her amused smile.

She seemed to feel his curiosity and said, "It's Naruto."

"His summon?" he asked. Before she could answer the water suddenly dropped. He swore under his breath as he struggled to regain his footing when the water level dramatically dropped once again.

"Let's get Ami," Sakura said.

• • •

"It's stillborn," Sakura said, voice heavy with fatigue. Pink hair plastered to her skull, she was soaked to the bone and covered in mud from hip to toe. The rest of them didn't look much better, each equally filthy. When Naruto's toad summon did away with Kisame's flood all that remained was about two feet of mucky water.

With the water gone, Kankuro expected the battle to begin anew, but nothing happened. Already in Sage-mode, Naruto confirmed that the enemy was be gone. That sparked a new level of concern. Did they have the target? What happened to Shikamaru and Sakura? Naruto quickly assuaged their fears. Sakura, Shikamaru and the target were safe, and they were nearby.

He didn't immediately say anything about Sasuke, though from the tightness of his expression Kankuro guessed that he knew exactly where his old teammate was located. It was Kakashi who finally broke the silence and asked, only to be told that Sasuke was now a missing-nin — again. Kankuro couldn't say that he was surprised to hear that. Gaara had confided in him before they left Suna that he suspected the reason Sasuke was sent on the mission to Hitofuki was to test his loyalty. Apparently Tsunade had expressed some private doubts to the Kazekage about how far she could trust the Uchiha when it came to having to decide between his vendetta and the village. If that was indeed the case, he failed.

"I performed a cesarean because her blood pressure was dangerously high, that seems to have finally gotten under control. She did sustain some minor injuries from the water attack," she continued, "and she is still unconscious, but I expect her to make a full recovery."

"She's still unconscious?" Shizune asked.

"Sedated," Sakura explained. "She regained consciousness not long after the water started to recede and became pretty upset, so I gave her a mild sedative. She should wake up in a couple of hours."

"So where is it?" Temari asked. She didn't need to specify what 'it' was, they all knew she was referring to the baby.

"They took it," Shikamaru said.

Temari visibly paled. "How?"

"I was faced with a choice between holding onto a dead infant and letting us both drown or letting it go and surviving," he said, voice very calm and matter-of-fact. "Either way they would have acquired it, so I chose to survive."

Kankuro smirked. Leave it to Shikamaru to put the decision in such black and white terms. Still, he had to ask, "You're sure it was dead?"

"Yes," Sakura said.

"You're absolutely sure?" he pressed.

Sakura leveled him with an impatient glare, the stress of the day and physical exhaustion shining brightly in her eyes.

"The baby died in the womb," she said, voice tired yet authoritative. "He was deformed. Even under the best of circumstances I doubt he would have survived for more than a few minutes after birth. He... his body..." she trailed off, her silence stretched a beat too long and Kankuro felt a surge of curiosity well inside of him. Then, with a shake of her head as though to clear her thoughts, she said, "He was born without a heartbeat. He is definitely dead and there is no way to revive him."

"How can you be sure?" Temari asked. "I don't mean to sound pessimistic, but it's an important detail. Gaara's orders were quite specific."

Sakura nodded and said, "Among other physical defects, he simply lacked the ability to breathe."

There was an awkward shuffling of feet for several seconds. No one knew quite what to say after Sakura's statement, but Kankuro was glad it was dead – or more specifically, he was glad that the Akatsuki had failed to create a new weapon. The fact that they managed to take the body was concerning, but they would discuss that issue with Gaara later.

The revelation about the Feudal Lord was something else entirely. Gaara would have to deal with that, and quickly, to avoid outright hostilities. Considering the evidence they had to prove that he had been conspiring with a known terrorist group, Kankuro was fairly certain that the Feudal Lord could be persuaded to step down on his own. And if he didn't, well, there were more far more forceful ways to bring about change.

"We need to take her into custody," Temari said. "Is the girl—"

"Ami," Sakura interrupted.

"Ami," Temari echoed, "well enough to travel? She will need to be questioned. We have proof that the Feudal Lord was involved and Ami may know the names of some of his collaborators. We need to talk to her before we can turn her over to Konoha."

Sakura pulled at her wet clothes in a futile effort to straighten them, "She will obviously need to be carried, but she can travel."

"He will also want a full report from both of you before returning to Konoha," Temari said.

The pink-haired medic nodded, but said nothing. Kakashi gave the order to prepare to leave in five minutes. Those that needed to relieve themselves disappeared to attend to their business while a few others used the time to eat whatever rations they had in their pockets that managed to survive Kisame's flood.

Sakura remained where she was, her face downcast and expressionless. Then Shikamaru came up beside her, his hand grazed her arm, a ghost of a touch, but it was enough to capture her attention. He whispered something to her and her countenance seemed to relax a bit. Their private conversation continued and Shikamaru's touch lingered, then his hand wrapped around hers completely, his thumb slowly caressing the back of her hand. Sakura gave him a smile that seemed almost intimate to Kankuro — as though it was an expression she shared only with him — then she nodded at something Shikamaru said and their hands reluctantly drifted apart. She turned away and Kankuro saw how flushed her cheeks were. As the seconds ticked by, Shikamaru continued to watch the medic as she moved to tend to her patient, his expression thoughtful yet tender.

Even thinking it, Kankuro had a hard time believing it. If Shikamaru didn't look bored or tired, he was scowling. And yet, there he was, watching Sakura with a look that could only best be described as 'affectionate.'

"Are you seeing this?" Kankuro asked in a low voice when he felt Temari move to stand beside him. "They together now or what?"

She snorted, "What do you think?"

The tone of Temari's voice made Kankuro smirk. "Jealous?"

When she didn't immediately respond, he turned to look at his sister fully. He expected to see her jaw set in annoyance at the implication that she had something to be jealous about, but was surprised to see a wistfulness about her visage that sent a stab of guilt through him.

"I am a little," she admitted, sotto voce. "But also happy for them, too."

"Temari... I— I didn't know..."

"Yeah," she said. "Neither did he."

.

* * *

**AN:** Thank you for your continued reviews, support, PMs, etc. I realize I am writing a fic based on a pairing that isn't super popular so it's very encouraging to know that I'm writing something worth reading, so I really appreciate the feedback. But, let's be honest, ShikaSaku is just plain fun. ;)

And, just for the record, I didn't start this fic as a hardcore ShikaSaku fan. I like the pairing (obviously), but I'm not a huge fangirl over it. More than anything, I just wanted to see if I could make it work while attempting to keep the characters in-character. I think I've been at least a little successful, but that's really more up to you to decide.

Regarding the first scene with Itachi & Sasuke - my point with that wasn't to dog on Sasuke but to attempt to get into Itachi's head a bit. I wanted to try to see Sasuke from the point-of-view of a protective older brother who wants to impart some wisdom and inspire genuine growth but can only do so through harsh lessons instead of loving guidance. My attempt may or may not have worked, but that was what I was _trying_ to do.

Honestly, I'm surprised at the number of SasuSaku fans that read this fic. I'd expect you guys to flame me after reading the first couple of chapters, but you really haven't. Thank you for that.

I have one more chapter to write and then... DONE! I'm about 60% finished with it and plan to have it up by the end of March. Visit my profile page OR livejournal/tumblr (whatever) for updates (link is on my profile page). I may even post a teaser at some point. ;)

As always, thanks for reading!

-del


	17. feel at home

**dawning**

.:feel at home:.  
chapter seventeen

* * *

"Now," she said, leaning forward in her seat to peer intently at her student, "tell me what _else_ happened."

Sakura seemed to hiccup, her entire body twitched delicately as her brain reared back and jaw clicked shut. Tsunade knew then that she had guessed right. Something did happen while they were in Suna — something that had no direct bearing on the mission itself, but yielded some near tangible changes none-the-less.

Fingers clenching in her lap, Sakura sat up a little straighter in her chair, took a deep breath and forced her hands to relax. Tsunade felt the corners of her lips curl upwards as she watched the young woman pull herself together with a distinct air of professionalism. She squared her shoulders, lifted her chin, matched Tsunade's assessing gaze and said, "My report gave a detailed assessment of—"

"No," the Hokage interrupted. "You're different."

Fine pink brows rose in mock innocence. The expression would have probably fooled most people, but Tsunade knew her student.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

Tsunade snorted. "Sakura, don't play dumb. You know exactly what I'm talking about."

Embarrassment colored the young woman's cheeks as the full implications of what the Hokage really meant was realized. The temptation to chuckle was almost too much too resist, but Tsunade kept her face carefully neutral. Truthfully, there was nothing overtly suspect about her student's mission. It had been a success that provided clear evidence that the Akatsuki was alive and well, thus justifying their more covert activities in recent months. Now Tsunade could go to her fellow Kages and demand support, or discover who among their 'allies' would truly stand with them when it came time to confront Akatsuki once and for all.

But even more impressive than all that was the fact that in spite of coming into direct contact with Akatsuki members, the mission had ended with no loss of life or serious injury. Even the girl, Ami, had been saved. The fact that she delivered a stillborn infant didn't distress Tsunade as much as the irrefutable evidence that the Akatsuki was involved in human experimentation. From Sakura's description of the infant it would have suffocated had it been born alive as its face and nasal passages were not properly formed. Even so, she was thankful that her people had been spared having to carry out the Kazekage's grizzly orders.

The team gave their initial report upon returning to Konoha late the night before, but they were all so obviously fatigued that Tsunade ordered them to get some rest. Promptly at eight in the morning, most of the team was assembled in her office once more and ready for their debriefing. It was well past lunchtime when they were finally done, but Tsunade had questions that only Shikamaru and Sakura could answer. She dismissed the others and asked them to remain behind so she could speak to them privately.

She began with Shikamaru while Sakura left to have a quick lunch. He was detailed and thorough, as expected, and offered plenty of insight and theories. She listened with great interest, but as he spoke of his mission she started to get a sense that there were certain details that he was intentionally glossing over. His assessments and observations about the mission were all sound and reasonable, but there was more. Something personal. She couldn't quite put her finger on it because there didn't appear to be anything overtly different about him that she could readily identify. Nothing he said or did readily stood out and demanded attention, but there was something — a resonance his voice, his expressions, that suggested more.

And that 'more' was personal. Tsunade was certain of it. She was tempted to question him about it, but she didn't feel it was her place to do so. Not if she didn't believe his personal matters had a negative influence on the mission. Besides, he wasn't the first shinobi to return from a mission personally affected by something he saw or did. If he didn't volunteer to talk about it, she wouldn't pry — though she had been known to suggest a visit with a counselor to help sort out any emotional or psychological tangles.

Shikamaru didn't need to pay a visit to a counselor. He didn't show any signs of psychological distress or emotional frailty, but she continued to observe him. She mentally noted the way he described their activities in Hitofuki, his assessment of Ami and Kisho, his actions upon finding Sakura unconscious in an alley, their confrontation with Zetsu, Kisame's massive water attack...

Tsunade had a theory, a rough idea about what it _could_ be, but it seemed so unlikely that she said nothing. Shikamaru's debriefing complete, he left and half-an-hour later Sakura took his place. Within the first few minutes of the young medic's report, Tsunade _knew_ and her interest was piqued.

"Can you be more specific, Shishou?" Sakura asked.

"Must I?"

Sakura's hastily assembled front of professional detachment remained sound, but her vocal hesitations gave her away. "I'm not... I mean... Wh- what do you mean?"

Tsunade smirked, "Okay, let's start with this. You're still wearing a prop from your mission."

Sakura glanced down at her hand and opened her mouth to sputter an excuse, but the Hokage didn't give her the chance.

"A mission that officially ended once the target was secured and safely escorted to Suna. Wait, no," Tsunade paused, tapping her fingernail three times on the table before continuing. "The mission requiring use of that particular prop ended sooner than that and you're still wearing it."

"You're making a big deal out of nothing," Sakura said, forcing her voice to sound even and neutral as she offered a weak smile. "I just don't want to lose it."

"So return it."

"I will," she said. In spite of her outward calm, Sakura's cheeks were still bright with embarrassment.

"Why didn't you return it days ago?"

"There was just... never the right time."

"There was never a right time to return a wedding ring?" Tsunade tsked at her student's flimsy excuse. "Really, Sakura?"

"I just never thought about it," she defended. Tsunade narrowed her eyes at Sakura's lie, but she pressed on, "I had to wear it all the time. I guess I just got used to it. That's all."

"I see," she said as studied her student for a moment longer. Sakura smoothed out her skirt before pressing her palms against the top of her thighs to keep them still, but didn't once break eye contact with her teacher. "I get the feeling that you're nervous about something, Sakura. Why is that?"

Sakura's carefully composed expression began to sag around the edges as her temper started to break through her cloud of discomfort. "I'm not nervous. Why are you pressing me about this? It sounds like you're accusing me of something."

Lifting a single brow, Tsunade asked, "Am I?"

"Well... yes!"

The Hokage rested her chin on her palm as she watched her student recover her composure. "De-fen-sive," she singsonged as she smiled. "You know that makes me all the more curious."

"Nothing untoward happened, Shishou, if that's what you're asking," she said, her tone reflecting her annoyance.

Tsunade inclined her head a bit and 'hmm'ed under her breath.

"We played our roles as requested," the young medic continued. "We made contact with the target and had Hinata look at her, which confirmed our suspicions. You know the rest."

Folding her hands and resting them on her desk, the corner of Tsunade's lip twisted upwards. "Sakura, I was assigned a countless number of missions when I was your age and I have ordered a countless number of missions since becoming Hokage. I know about regulations and I also know about the realities of what happens out in the field," she smiled as Sakura shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. "Not only that, but I know _you_. Something happened. You're different, and I'm not talking about the damn hair so stop touching it!"

Sakura opened her mouth to protest, but the Hokage quickly raised her finger to silence the girl. "If it makes you feel better, consider this conversation off-the-record."

Her pupil hesitated for a moment, then, "Off-the-record, Shishou?"

"Yes," she said. "I've mentored you since you were twelve and I know that _something_ happened. As your mentor, I am asking you to tell me what that was."

"As my mentor and not my Hokage?" Sakura asked. "Does that mean I don't have to answer?"

Tsunade snorted. "I could order you to tell me, but I won't. So no, you don't have to answer, but based on how you're acting I think talking about it might help. I haven't seen you this wound up in years."

Shoulders tense and back ramrod straight, Sakura seemed to teeter on the edge of bravery and cowardice. It seemed to Tsunade that her student was tense more out of an attempt to keep the words contained within her than from the effort needed to bring them forth. Her whole body seemed to vibrate with those unspoken words and repressed feelings. All she needed was another nudge, just enough to get her to open up.

"I have already surmised that it has to do with Shikamaru," Tsunade said gently. "Do you want me to start guessing?"

"Nothing untoward happened," Sakura repeated.

"I believe you," Tsunade said. "But something _did_ happen."

"Y- yes."

Tsunade sat back in her chair and waited.

Sakura clenched her jaw, took a deep breath, opened her mouth to speak only to snap it shut again. Tsunade remained silent as she patiently waited and her student sighed. It was almost amusing how difficult she was making this on herself. The girl was acting like she held the secrets of life and death within her and to speak of them could risk the stability of the entire universe. It was rather ridiculous, but then again a lot of worries tended to be ridiculous in the great, grand scheme of things.

"I have developed a romantic interest in Shikamaru," she said in a rush.

Tsunade said nothing for several seconds, waiting for more, for something far more shocking to be confessed only to realize that Sakura was done. She couldn't help but chuckle a bit.

"That's it?" she asked, the corners of her lips quivering in amusement.

Sakura clenched her jaw and nodded once.

"Really?" Tsunade asked.

"Yes!"

"Good grief, Sakura. The way you carry on sometimes." She watched her student for a moment, then asked, "What about Sasuke?"

"What about him?"

The Hokage's brows rose at her student's reply. '_Interesting,_' she thought. "Am I to understand that your feelings for him have dried up?" she asked.

Sakura turned thoughtful as she carefully considered her next words. "I... I still care about him," she admitted. "And I'm worried about him, but it's not the same. _I'm_ not the same." She frowned, "I don't... I don't ache for him. I just... He's just not constantly on my mind."

"Do you still love him?" Tsunade asked.

She hesitated, then, "I- well, yes. I mean, kind of. He'll always be a member of Team 7 to me, but I get what you and Ino and my mom and everyone else was trying to tell me. I get that Sasuke is a different person now. I didn't want to see that because I guess I thought that meant that we'd failed, but we didn't, did we? People change. Everyone from my academy class is different now so it's stupid for me to expect Sasuke to go back to the boy I loved when we were twelve."

"It's never easy to accept that someone you care about changes into someone you don't recognize anymore," Tsunade said quietly, as thoughts of Orochimaru as a young boy floated through her mind.

Sakura sighed and settled herself deeper into her seat, "When we were being debriefed about Sasuke leaving Suna and the return of his status as a missing-nin I had this weird realization, right there in Gaara's office, that I don't really know him. Not anymore. Not the person he is today. It feels stupid to say that because I really thought I did. I always told myself that I did, that I knew him better than anyone, but I didn't. Not really."

"Sakura," the Hokage said, clasping her hands together as she leaned forward on her desk. "I was in this office, about where you're seated right now, when I learned that Orochimaru had been experimenting on people — adults, children and infants — for nearly a year. If it had been anyone other than Sarutobi-sensei telling us that I would have beaten the hell out of them for insulting my teammate and friend. I was so damn certain that I knew Orochimaru, in spite of all the warning signs that something wasn't quite right. Part of me still has a hard time linking the crimes he committed as an adult to the kid I grew up with, but I understand what you're saying."

Tsunade smiled, "You've come a long way, Sakura. I don't think we could have had this conversation a month ago without you losing your temper. I'm proud of you."

Sakura turned anxious green eyes toward her teacher and quietly admitted, "Thank you, but I feel guilty for feeling this way. I still care about him and I want him to come home."

"Grand-dad wanted Madara to come home. I wanted Orochimaru to come home," Tsunade said. "You want your teammate to come home. There's no reason to feel guilty over that, but at some point we have to accept the choices that the people we care about make, even if they're bad choices. We have to realize that we can't force people to change and sometimes that means letting them go."

"I guess," she murmured. "It just seems wrong to do that though."

"You gave him every opportunity to change. He rejected you, Sakura, not the other way around."

"I know," she sighed. "You're right. I realized that I always wanted something from him that he couldn't give and then I tortured myself over it _because_ he couldn't give it."

"You had this realization during your mission?" Tsunade asked.

She hesitated for a moment, then said, "Yes."

"How?"

Expression thoughtful, Sakura considered how best to answer the question. Tsunade bit back a sigh. The girl was being unusually careful with her choice of words and her constant hesitation when it came to answering the easiest of questions seemed a bit extreme. But, it also made Tsunade all the more interested in hearing what the girl had to say. If she was being that thoughtful about what she said it had to be pretty important to her. So she waited, quietly, patiently, as Sakura finally found her voice again.

"This is going to sound silly," she warned.

"Tell me anyway," Tsunade said, making a dismissive gesture with her hand. "Consider it an order if you must."

"I thought you were speaking to me as my mentor," Sakura said dryly.

Tsunade smiled and gave another dismissive wave, this time with far less pomp and a bit more humor. "You know what I mean."

The younger woman's lips quirked upwards, then steeling herself, she said, "Shikamaru bought me flowers the third day we were in Hitofuki. A street florist came up to us and asked him if he wanted to buy a rose for his bride, I told him that it wasn't necessary but he said that he wanted to. He bought three flowers. He could have sent her away or bought only one and it wouldn't have compromised our mission, but he got _three_."

Sakura smiled sheepishly at the memory, "I know this sounds terribly pathetic, but no one has ever done something like that for me. Not in that context before. He could have done the bare minimum and it wouldn't have mattered, but he didn't. And then the whole evening after that... it was like a date. I don't think I've ever been on a real, proper date. And that was strange, too, because everything he did felt entirely genuine and natural. The whole evening I kept thinking, '_Sasuke would never do something like this for me. Is this what Ino or TenTen mean when they talk about going out with a guy? Is it supposed to be like this?_' Being with Shikamaru made me think about a lot of things that I've avoided thinking about for a long time."

The Hokage smirked. "I see."

"But nothing happened!" Sakura insisted. "We kissed and that's it!"

"You're not in trouble, Sakura. Relax."

"But the rules..."

"The rules are designed to prevent a conflict of interest or favoritism while on a mission. If you or Shikamaru had shirked your responsibilities in order to pursue each other romantically we would be having a very different conversation, but it sounds like that didn't happen. Did it?"

"No! Of course not. It just... it just happened."

"And what about Shikamaru?" Tsunade asked. "Is he interested in you as well?"

"Y-yes," she said. "At least, he _was_. I think he still is. He didn't declare love or anything like that, but he seemed interested. I think he thinks I still want Sasuke... I— we haven't really talked about it. Not since he said that. I want to tell him that I'd like more than friendship, but it never seems to be the right time. Now we're home and I don't know what to say to him."

"So you kept the ring so you'd have an excuse to talk to him," Tsunade said as Sakura glanced down at her hand and blushed. "I see."

The Hokage sat back in her chair and studied her student carefully. Sakura had become a fine woman. She had been an adult in so many ways for so long, except when it came to her heart. Tsunade had watched her over the years pining for a man who didn't appreciate her the way she deserved. She had tried to warn her, to get her to open her eyes and see what was so obvious to everyone else, but she refused. And Tsunade eventually gave up trying. You can't force someone to mature, it had to happen naturally.

And then it did. Quite suddenly, too.

"How do you feel, Sakura? About Shikamaru?"

Her lips twitched. "I... I think I could easily fall in love with him," she admitted quietly. "It feels weird to say that, but I think I might be starting to already. Part of me is scared that I might be rushing. I don't know. I never felt like this with Sasuke."

Tsunade smiled, "For most people, it starts out small, like this. With questions and doubts and bursts of excitement. Dan and I had been dating casually for about six-weeks when I got hit with a really bad case of the flu. I hadn't seen him in a couple of days and had to cancel our plans because I was sick. I went to bed that afternoon and woke up to hear someone knocking at my door. Dan went out of his way, in the middle of winter with sleet and freezing rain, just to bring me dinner. We ate together, talked for a while, played cards, then when I was too tired to stay awake any longer, he made sure I had everything I needed near my bed, tucked me in and left promising to bring breakfast in the morning. It was one of the sweetest things anyone has ever done for me."

"Is that when you knew?" Sakura asked.

"That I loved him?"

The young medic nodded.

"I didn't fall in love with Dan all at once," Tsunade said. "There wasn't a big epiphany where I looked at him one day and thought, 'I love him.' It grew more over time until I couldn't imagine my life without him in it, but I can point to that moment, when I was sick, and say that's when my perception of him changed. I knew then that I could trust him with my heart.

"As far as Sasuke goes," the Hokage continued, "That is something only you can answer. Love is never the same from one person to another so comparing your feelings for Shikamaru to how you felt about Sasuke isn't fair to either of them, yourself included. I will say this: you look happy when you talk about Shikamaru, which was a very rare thing when you spoke of Sasuke. If you want my honest opinion about you and Shikamaru," Tsunade smiled, wide and warm, "I think the two of you make a very good match."

Her cheeks colored as Sakura smiled in return, but she didn't offer an immediate response. Now was the time for silence. Tsunade watched her as she mentally digested their conversation, brain and heart working in concert to draw nutrients from the imparted wisdom. Seeing her so obviously infatuated reminded Tsunade of innocent days long past while impressing upon her the fullness of her age. It didn't seem so long ago that she had been a young 20-something, full of the wideness of what could be. Back then her thoughts had been filled with images of a future ceremony, a shared home, children...

'_Oh, Dan..._'

"Thank you for talking to me about this, Tsunade-shishou," Sakura said, pulling the Hokage from her memories.

"You're welcome. You have a lot of think about."

Sakura gave a faint nod, "Yes. Did you have a work schedule for me at the hospital?"

"No, you need plenty of rest," she said. "You're off rotation for the next 72 hours. If I were you, I'd use that time wisely."

Sakura moved to stand, "Yes, Shishou."

"If you are thinking of making use of that time right now, I suspect you will find him at his apartment," she said, a smile playing about her lips. "Get going and let me know how it turns out."

"Th- thank you, Shishou. For everything."

• • •

It was almost too humid to be outside. He discarded his jounin vest over an hour ago and his standard-issue black t-shirt followed not long after. His shoes laid haphazardly not far from him, one of the deer grazing nearby gave them a curious sniff before going back to her business. The trees overhead and the steady breeze coming in from the west provided plenty of relief from the heat, but he was still a bit too warm to be truly comfortable. Fall was easily the best time to cloud gaze. The weather was far more agreeable and the sky always seemed more interesting to him somehow. Spring was also an enjoyable season to gaze at the clouds, but the frequent rain made the ground unsuitable for careless lounging.

Shikamaru rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed. The sun would begin to set in about an hour and then the mosquitoes would come out. He didn't have much time left to lay about and there were things he needed to do, but still he stubbornly remained. Arms spread wide and back flat against the grass, he laid quiet and unmoving as he watched the clouds drift overhead. He _needed_ this. He needed to let his brain unwind and his emotions to settle. He needed to return to his regular routine, but there was a gnawing sense of disquiet that plagued him.

He knew his stalled relationship with Sakura was the source of his disquiet. Wanting her felt right, but now that they were home the situation was different and he felt like he was navigating uncharted waters. In the Wind Country, things had been easier. Aside from their bizarre mission and the threat of death, his association with Sakura had been far less troublesome. At least in retrospect. Back then he could approach her, talk to her, touch her — and he didn't need an excuse to do it. Now he felt that he did. So instead of being glad to be home and eager to relax, he felt the need to do something about his relationship with her.

He had considered all of his options and concluded that the highest probability of success remained if she approached him about pursuing a relationship. Metaphorically speaking, the ball was in her court. Still, he was tempted to go to her apartment and tell her that he didn't care if she wasn't completely over Sasuke or any of that other bullshit (even though he really did). He didn't want everything to just... _end_.

She still had his family heirloom so he would have to pay her a visit eventually. He trusted her with it and knew she would keep it safe, but he would have to get it back soon. After leaving his debriefing with Tsunade and fixing himself something to eat, he had convinced himself to go to her apartment and sort out their relationship somehow. This feeling of being in limbo was aggravating and it would constantly be on his mind until it got sorted out. So after dumping his dishes in the sink, he took a quick shower, brushed his teeth, put on fresh clothes and left his apartment. On the way he went over what he would say to her only to walk right past her front door, around the corner and down four blocks to his parent's house.

It was a bit pathetic, but he reasoned that they both needed time to collect themselves. Her probably more than him. Or maybe it was the other way around. Hell, he didn't know. So after chatting with his parents for a few minutes, he left to find his favorite 'thinking spot' in the woods behind Nara family home.

He wasn't the most experienced person when it came to pursuing a romantic relationship. The whole notion of 'pursuit' seemed so amazingly troublesome that he just never bothered to even think about it. He certainly liked women and knew he would eventually marry, have a family, retire, and then die. Preferably in that order. He just wasn't in a hurry to start down that path. It wasn't like there weren't women in his life that he found attractive or interesting – they just didn't seem worth the effort to pursue.

Sakura, on the other hand, was worth pursuing. The problem was that he had told her that a relationship between the two of them wouldn't work, that her lingering affection for Uchiha would eventually cause them to resent each other. While Shikamaru still believed there was a risk of that happening, he had to wonder if there wasn't something he could say or do to maintain her interest and, eventually, her complete attention. He didn't want her to think that he was only passively interested, because he wasn't. But at the same time, he wasn't going to remain in a state of uncertainty. Either she was interested, too, and wanted more or she wasn't.

One of the deer grazing near him abruptly stopped. His head jerked up, eyes wide and alert as his ears swiveled forward. The fact that it didn't bolt told Shikamaru that whomever caught the animal's attention was someone it knew. Most likely his mother. It was getting close to dinner-time and she would probably want him to join them. Shikamaru sat up, rubbed a hand over his face and sighed — completely failing to notice that the small group of deer around him had suddenly become shy.

"Am I disturbing you?" a familiar voice asked.

Shikamaru turned toward the voice in an instant, his heart hammering in his chest. Sakura stood only a few feet away. She was dressed in her familiar red top and black shorts with the knee-high boots that had caught his eye more than once, long before he ever seriously considered kissing her. She smiled shyly at him as she stepped forward.

"I stopped by your apartment but you weren't there," she said, "so I thought I'd check to see if you were here. Your father told me where to find you." She cleared her throat, "I'm not bothering you, am I?"

"No, you're not. I was just... thinking," he said. "Is everything okay? The Hokage doesn't need to see us, does she?"

She shook her head, "No, but I expect she'll summon us in a day or two after she has had a chance to go over everything."

Shikamaru moved a little to his right and gestured to the grassy spot beside him, "Care to join me?"

She smiled as she accepted his offer. There was a pregnant pause filled with awkward silence, then she reached into her hip pouch and pulled out a wooden box with the Nara clan symbol engraved on the lid. He immediately recognized it as the box for the engagement ring.

She handed it to him with a delicate blush coloring her cheeks and said, "You should have this back. I still can't believe you brought it on the mission to use as a prop."

"It worked, didn't it?"

She smiled, "It did."

"Still," he said, the corners of his lips quirking upwards, "it would be best if my mother never found out."

"She won't hear about it from me," she promised.

• • •

The awkward silence returned. It was maddening to be so close to him, sitting right next to him with her body mere inches from his, and to feel a chasm filled with tumultuous energy that had no voice, no courage. Her pulse rate had skyrocketed when she first saw him laying on the grass. Sakura watched him as he gazed up at the clouds lost in thought, the only clothing he wore were his pants and mesh shirt and she found herself thoroughly enjoying the sight of him. She had indulged herself for several moments before announcing her presence, not just for the pleasure of taking in his appearance, but to give herself a chance to calm her nerves. It was silly, she told herself, to feel so anxious. After everything they had gone through, this should be easy.

But it wasn't easy. It was strange and awkward and all together weird. They had been paired together due to a mission assignment and now that mission was over and they were home. It didn't feel right to just continue on as if they were still in Hitofuki. One way or another, they had to define their relationship. To continue or not to continue? Sakura knew what she wanted and she was mostly certain that she knew what _he_ wanted — but it was that tiny, nagging voice of doubt that haunted her thoughts and made her insides quiver. The longer she hesitated in her self-appointed mission to tell him how she felt the more difficult it would be to confess.

"Rikumaru thinks you have food," Shikamaru said with a hint of amusement. His words pulled her from her thoughts and her brain required an extra couple of seconds to process what he was saying. She looked at him askance, wondering what he meant when she felt a nudge against her hip. A large buck nosed her med pack, snorting as he breathed in whatever scent had caught his attention. She had been to the Nara compound before to collect antler dust for use in certain salves and analgesics, but she had never been so close to any of their deer before. They were generally curious creatures, cautious but not skittish, as they watched her come and go whenever the hospital needed their supply replenished. She had tried to approach one once, baby-talking it as she reached out toward it, only to have it lift its head defiantly and stamp its foot. The message was obvious and Sakura didn't try to approach another deer again.

And now the buck, Rikumaru, was seconds away from trying to tear open her med-pack with his teeth.

"I- I don't have anything," Sakura said. "Just a couple of rations." She glanced at Shikamaru, "Does he eat rations?"

Shikamaru leaned back, resting on his elbows and smiled. "If I forget to bring crackers, I've been known to share some of my rations with them."

Sakura reached for her pack only to feel the buck nudge her hand away.

"Rikumaru," Shikamaru said, reaching across her to gently push the animal's nose away from her hip. "Stop being so troublesome."

The deer took a step back and snorted again.

"He obeys you," Sakura said.

"I wouldn't say he 'obeys' me," Shikamaru drawled. "It would be more accurate to say that he's being rude to make a point that I didn't bring them enough treats when I came out today."

The corners of Sakura's mouth lifted in amusement, "So he's punishing you?"

"He's expressing his unhappiness, yes."

"I don't mind giving him my rations," she said. "They're rice-based. Is that okay?"

Shikamaru nodded, "Hold it flat on your palm. If more deer from the herd come over looking for food, just toss pieces out to them. They can get pushy sometimes, particularly in a group."

Sakura did as he instructed and soon Rikumaru was licking her palm for crumbs as she slowly began to pet the animal with her left hand. The other deer watched from several feet away, none of them as bold at the buck.

"I've never been this close to any of your family deer before," Sakura said.

"I raised Rikumaru," he said as he watched the deer finish off the last of her rations. "I had to bottle feed him when his mother was unable to nurse, so he's bonded to me. If I trust you, he trusts you. The next time you come out here to pick up another supply for the hospital, he'll probably approach you."

"And if I bring him more rations?" she asked.

Shikamaru smirked, "He'll definitely approach you."

Sakura gave a brief nod as a tiny voice in the back of her mind reminded her that she was here for a reason and it wasn't to feed the damn deer. '_If you're going to do it_,' she told herself, '_now is the time to do it!_' Her heart suddenly sped up and her mouth ran dry as she began to gather her courage. Why it felt so frightening all of the sudden to tell him something so simple, so obvious, she didn't quite understand, but she knew if she didn't say it now, it wouldn't get said.

Licking her lips, she turned her face to peer at Shikamaru and blurted out, "You wouldn't be the man I use to get over Sasuke."

'_Shit!_' she mentally cursed, cringing at her choice of words. That wasn't at all what she had intended to say. At least not initially. In her mental preparation of how this moment would play out, she had imagined that she would tell him that she wanted to have a real relationship with him, to start dating and 'see what happens' and he would gaze at her intently, lovingly — perhaps even pull her into his arms and kiss her.

That was how it always seemed to happen in all the cheesy romance novels that she read as a pre-teen, but she wasn't the flirtatious heroine and he wasn't the smoldering, seductive hero. He was Shikamaru — lazy genius tactician who avoided all things 'troublesome' as much as possible, so he didn't say or _do_ anything after her abrupt statement. He simply watched her, studied her with that overly analytical expression he was famous for when trying to figure out a complex problem or strategy. It felt stand-offish, as though he was an outside observer to the moment instead of the person to whom she was directly speaking.

"You're still thinking about that conversation?" he asked.

"I thought about it a lot, actually," she admitted.

He watched her and waited. Sakura floundered, not quite sure how to continue. As the seconds ticked by the air between them seemed to gel into something sticky and uncomfortable. She was certain then that he could hear the pounding of her heart and she wanted to yell at him for being so irritatingly calm when she felt like her stomach was tying itself into knots. This wasn't supposed to be so damn nerve wracking and difficult. He wasn't supposed to just sit there. He was supposed to hug her, kiss her, tell her he still wanted her — _something_ — but he was just looking at her, waiting.

Fine. She'd faced greater challenges and more terrifying enemies. She wasn't a coward. She could bare her heart. She could do this.

"It dawned on me that night, what you said about Sasuke, and I realized that I don't need anyone to help me get over him," she said, forcing herself to maintain eye contact with him as she continued to speak. "What you said... You gave me a lot to think about and I finally know what I want now. What I _really_ want."

"And what is that?" he asked, voice low and eyes intense.

'_You,_' her brain immediately answered as her heart thundered in her ears. She was tempted to simply voice her thoughts, to boldly tell him that what she wanted was him. It was as simple as it was true, but she couldn't quite force herself to be so forward. This was important and she didn't want to mess it up.

"I don't want what we started in Hitofuki to end," she said, finally.

He didn't immediately say anything and Sakura felt her inexperience condense into something close to panic. "I- I can go back to being your friend, Shikamaru," she said in a rush, "if that's what you want... if you're not interested, that is."

The corners of his lips quirked upwards and Sakura waited for him to say something, but he seemed content to just smile mutely at her. His silence bewildered her. Her gut told her that the curl of his lips was a good thing, but she needed more. '_Say something,_' she thought as her embarrassed expression melted into a combination of disappointment and annoyance. For all the nervousness she felt, the apprehension, the quiet trembling and anxious hopefulness — now she had no idea what he thought.

Making it a point to avoid his gaze, she brushed the crumbs from her hands, cleared her throat and began to rise to her feet. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt his hand gently squeeze her thigh, almost three inches above her knee.

"Where are you going?" he asked. He almost sounded amused.

"I... what?" She blinked at him, "I just, I—"

"Do you have somewhere you need to be?"

"No."

"Stay," he said, smiling.

Sakura settled back down beside him, still feeling nervous energy swirling around inside of her. "Does this mean you're still interested?" she asked.

He snorted, "I thought I made that clear. At least, I had hoped I made that clear."

She felt her cheeks warm and she took a deep breath to try to regain control over the tide of emotion within her. She was embarrassed, annoyed and amazingly happy all at the same time, but two of the three emotions were teaming up with each other to crowd out the third.

"Why didn't you say so sooner?" she asked, her voice reflecting a hint of her irritation. "You just sat there and stared at me like I was speaking a foreign language."

He dipped his head down and chuckled a bit. "Sorry, but you were on a roll. I didn't want to interrupt."

"You could have."

"Why?" he asked. "You were saying almost everything I had been thinking about telling to you not twenty minutes ago. I can't help it if I liked hearing you say it."

The feelings of embarrassment and anger were quickly dissolving, leaving her with a buoyant sense of joy. "What were you thinking?" she asked.

"That I missed Hitofuki because everything was easier there," he said as he reached for her hand. "I didn't need a reason to see you or talk to you or touch you."

The way he said 'touch you' made Sakura's insides shiver. He was still watching her, still absorbing her with his eyes and she squeezed his hand.

"Yes, I am definitely still interested, Sakura," he said, his eyes crinkled around the edges as he smiled. Sakura thought his grin looked a bit devilish as he reached for her.

The first few seconds of their kiss was saturated by the surge of adrenaline that came with Sakura's confession. She felt a bit tense and more then a little giddy, but as the moment stretched out she felt herself begin to melt with relief. It was good to be here. Not just in Konoha, but in this place at this moment, with him. It felt right. The sensation of his hands, his warmth all around her as he kissed her mouth, her jaw and then her neck was exciting and enjoyable, too, but it was the certainty that he wanted her as much as she wanted him that made a great moment wonderful.

The stubble on his chin tickled the sensitive skin along her jaw causing goosebumps to prickle across arms and down her legs. She gave a throaty sigh of want and contentment just as Shikamaru's lips returned to hers. It wasn't long before Sakura was laying down on the grass with him on top of her as they continued to kiss and explore. He didn't try to get under her clothes and she didn't offer to let him. She was tempted, very tempted, but she found herself enjoying the slowness of the moment. When they had kissed before there was always the looming pressure of the mission weighing down upon them or the uncertainty of Sakura's relationship with Sasuke. Now she felt unshackled and she wanted to savor the moment, to stretch it out second-by-second without rushing headlong into intimacy.

"This is much better than Hitofuki," he whispered, then kissed the spot just behind her right earlobe. She felt her belly flutter at the low, intimate tones of his words and some part of her brain not completely absorbed by the activities of the moment openly wondered why she never noticed how sexy his voice was before. She ignored it as she sought out his mouth again, only to feel him shift his weight to peer down at her.

"I know you're laying on a rock," he continued in that same low whisper. "You can't be comfortable."

Sakura blinked up at him, slightly annoyed that he had stopped. She reached for him, placing both hands on either side of his face before pulling him back down to kiss her again. He was right though. She was laying on a rock and it wasn't exactly comfortable. Ignoring it was easy when she was filled with the excitement of the moment, but it was slowing moving from simply feeling uncomfortable to being downright painful.

"I was _trying_ to ignore it," she said when they parted to breathe. "But... now that you mention it..."

He chuckled, then kissed her once more before gently rolling off of her and standing. "As much as I would like to continue, we should probably consider relocating for right now. Besides, it won't be long before the mosquitoes are out." He offered her a hand to help her to her feet, "It's almost time for dinner and there's a restaurant not far from my apartment."

"Convenient," Sakura said.

Shikamaru smirked as he went to retrieve his vest, shoes and shirt, "I said I would like to continue and that's the least troublesome place to go." He peered at her and asked, "Unless you're not hungry?"

"Are you backing out on asking me out on a date, Shikamaru?"

"Backing out?" he asked as he pulled on his vest. "Aren't we past that, at this point? The awkwardness of making official 'first dates' and all that?"

"I suppose so," she agreed. "But I'm still going to consider this our first official date as a couple, in spite of the fact that the order of events is a bit backwards." She grinned, "Usually the kiss comes after the meal."

"Fair enough," he said as her took her hand led her out of Nara Forest, past his parent's home and out onto the street. They walked together and quietly talked as the sun cast long shadows while it made its slow trek below the horizon. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew they looked like one of the many newlywed couples that filled the streets of Hitofuki — the same couples that had made her feel miserable with envy over their comforting closeness. Now, with his hand wrapped around hers and the two of them making their way slowly down the street, she felt a taste of what could be, and she liked it.

She was home.

.

* * *

**AN:** I want to thank everyone who took the time to write a review, send a private-message or email, offered a word of encouragement or constructive criticism, or stopped by my tumblr or livejournal page to check in on me. It's good to know that I wrote something worth reading. Hopefully this chapter will meet your approval.

Most of all, a big thank you goes out to Thunk for your help and encouragement over the years as 'Dawning' (slowly) came together. Without your support and feedback in the early chapters, this fic probably wouldn't have happened.

The behavior of the Nara deer is based on the actual Nara deer in Japan. Apparently they can get a bit pushy if they know you have food, and the food that you can buy to feed them are rice-based crackers. At least, that is what my research revealed.

Will there be a sequel? As of this moment, I have no idea. Maybe someday? I'm not against writing a sequel, I'm just not inspired to do so at this moment. That said, I do have a mini-epilogue written, though it has nothing to do with Shikamaru and Sakura (it's Akatsuki, Itachi, plot-stuff). I might post that in a day or two. I had initially planned to publish it as part of this chapter, but it didn't fit the tone.

But... that's pretty much it.

Love and God bless.

- deleria


	18. playing god

**AN: **Here's the epilogue. This isn't fluff, this is meat. Fluff was chapter 17. This is to explain more about what the Akatsuki was attempting to do (since I've gotten a lot of speculation about it, I figured I'd flesh it all out for you).

I probably should have figured out a better place or way to explain this in the core of my story instead of putting it here. I seem to have two types of readers: those who want just pure fluff and those who eat up plot and see the fluff as the icing and cherry on top.

For those who are plot-driven, I owe you an apology for not doing a better job explaining all of this earlier. I got caught up in trying to put Shikamaru and Sakura together and didn't focus as much on Ami and everything else. (Honestly, I didn't think people would care about Ami since she's an OC, but apparently I was wrong.)

So here it is. I tried to fluff it up a little with the first scene (that is if you consider 'angst' fluff then you're in luck) to keep it light and easily digestible. But yeah... it's mostly meat. ;)

Bon appetit!

.

* * *

**.:playing god:.  
**an epilogue

* * *

They were together. Really, truly together.

He had suspected the two of them were taking their assigned roles a bit too seriously, but he initially shrugged it off as two incompetents failing at a basic shinobi task. Yes, it was surprising to see Nara behave that way. For as annoying as he could be, he did have a keen mind. For Sakura to believe the lie of her mission parameters was almost expected. She just wasn't a good kunoichi.

At least, that was how he thought of her then.

When he first noticed their closeness and lingering looks, he passed it off as yet another example of Sakura being Sakura. She could be moody, stubborn, clingy and sentimental, but she was predictable. She would lose interest in Nara and refocus her attention onto him. Just like always.

But she didn't. She didn't run after him, she didn't seek him out after they acquired the target and she didn't look for him after being declared a missing-nin. He expected that she would just like she did when they were twelve. After all, they were intimate now. It had only been one time, but as long as she wasn't annoying about it he wasn't against doing it again. Plus, it gave her all the more reason to need him, to cling to him, so all he had to do was wait for her. She would come to him. After everything that Itachi had showed him, Sasuke saw a value in Sakura that he failed to notice before. She was no longer the kunoichi she was when she was a genin. Sasuke had been so focused on himself and his revenge for so long that he never bothered to reassess Sakura's worth. He knew she was a good medic who had enough skill to complete a handful of high-level missions on occasion, but he didn't think she was exceptional. How much easier would it be to achieve his goals with an efficient healer by his side? Yes, she could be irritating at times, but he could tolerate that so long as she gave him what he wanted.

And she would. She always did.

So he sat perched on a high branch not far from where he confronted his brother and waited for her as he recovered from the Tsukuyomi. Night fell, and he waited. Daylight came, and he knew she wasn't coming and part of him hated her for that, but he hated Nara more. The closeness he observed between them and the lingering looks they exchanged that made his skin crawl — that was no passing fancy, no silly thrill of two idiots dancing around a not-so-hidden infatuation. That was real.

It was insulting. For a Nara to be picked over an Uchiha, for Shikamaru to be picked over him — it was downright degrading.

He would deal with her, and Nara, later. For now, he needed to observe his brother. He needed to learn more about him and the company he kept. He maintained a safe distance as he slowly followed after him, careful to remain close enough to stay on his trail but far enough away not to be noticed. It was a painstakingly slow pursuit, but Sasuke wasn't in a hurry. He was an avenger and he would take care of things, one problem at a time.

As he adjusted his hood, pulling it lower over his forehead to keep his face dry from the rain, he felt a presence move past him, only to stop just four feet away. He paused in his trek, staring at the tree where he knew someone was hiding themselves for several seconds before finally addressing the stranger.

"Don't waste my time," he said as his eyes shined red.

A face segmented in black and white with bright, yellow eyes began to materialize from the tree trunk as a head took shape, then shoulders, followed by the rest of the body. Sasuke knew who it was but found that he didn't care. He was curious.

"I just want to talk, Sasuke," the newcomer said in a bass-like voice.

"Then talk."

"You seem to be in a hurry," he said. "You won't lose track of him. I know where your brother is going. I can help you."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes as he studied the shinobi before him. He didn't seem particularly strong, but there was an aura about him that made him wary. "You're Zetsu, aren't you?"

His lips twisted upwards. "You've heard of me."

"Why would you help me?"

Zetsu's eyes sparkled with something close to delight as he said, "I know someone that would like to meet you. Someone who can help you reach your goals."

"In exchange for what?" Sasuke asked.

"For less than what Orochimaru was asking, but with far more pay-off," Zetsu said. "It would be a mutually beneficial relationship. I am merely here to extend the invitation for a meeting and if you choose to go, I will escort you there."

Sasuke didn't detect any outright deceit, but he knew Zetsu was holding back a large chunk of information. His brother belonged to Akatsuki and so did this Zetsu person. He knew a little about what they were about through Orochimaru, but much of their plans remained a mystery. Still, for his brother to belong to such an organization had to mean there was strength there. Power.

Zetsu waited quietly as Sasuke considered his offer. It would only benefit him to learn more about their organization. Perhaps he could use what he learned against Itachi. Perhaps he could figure out a way to use the Akatsuki toward his own ends.

"I'll go," Sasuke said, finally, and Zetsu grinned.

• • •

For an experiment that required as much time and money invested into it is as this one, Itachi felt no trepidation as he and Kisame entered Amegakure. Technically speaking, the experiment and mission were absolute failures. The surrogate — whom Itachi had originally been led to believe was invaluable — was lost, and the infant dead. Yet he didn't get the sense that anyone was particularly angry about the outcome. Disappointed? Yes. Angry? No.

And that, to put it mildly, was odd.

Everyone expected that at some point, Pain and his unnamed associate (whom Itachi suspected was a long-lost relative who should not be alive) would attempt to create a jinchuriki of their own. They had the means, the tools, the knowledge — if anything Itachi expected the attempt to happen much sooner. Years ago. Instead they continued to acquire bijuus as money laundering and political favors were exchanged with high-ranking officials over the course of several months.

Itachi didn't like what he was seeing. The Akatsuki was growing. Not in terms of membership, but in terms of power and weight. At one time the Akatsuki's fingers barely dipped into politics. Only on rare occasions would they meddle with a particular regime. They would venture just deep enough to swirl up some discord, but never far enough to actually reshape an entire country. Now they were up to their shoulders in domestic affairs and economics. They had a stake in everything from food production and transport, to pharmaceuticals and medical science to mining and metallurgy. Their sphere of influence was widening to the point that they could easily make lofty demands of a person of considerable political clout and that person would likely conform to those demands.

That alone made them dangerous. They could easily make one country wealthy and another desperately poor. They could deny one country the resources necessary to make medicine or forge weapons while another country turned into a powerhouse of production. It wasn't just Feudal Lords they were looking to sway, but the citizens themselves. When Itachi realized the potential of what they could do he was amazed. No other independent organization in the history of the shinobi world had ever had such a massive influence.

And yet, the Akatsuki did nothing. To work for years to gain that kind of power and to keep it hidden was more than a little unnerving. After all, what was the purpose of having that kind of power if you didn't use it? If your enemies, Konoha and Suna specifically, didn't know about it? What was the Akatsuki waiting for? Better yet, what are they _hiding?_

That question eventually led him down a trail of discovery that made his insides clench with worry every time he thought about it. He realized quite early on that the ability to starve a nation wasn't the point. At least not in the traditional sense. Having the power to cripple a village or country without declaration of war was the sadistic smirk that made good leaders worry and bad leaders lust for an opportunity to side with evil. And history has proven that the world is always full of bad leaders.

Ultimately, their political power was a means to bargain. For what, exactly, was unclear at first. Then the experiments began.

Initially they were controlled, contained and easily destroyed for more intensive study. Some of the women were volunteers, some weren't. Some only needed to donate genetic material, some were expected to give a bit more. The 'male volunteers' came from the vast stock of genetic material from the impressive collection gathered together from the late Snake Sannin himself, Orochimaru. The control of pharmaceuticals and medical science helped with that, but there was a sense of dissatisfaction over their results. That dissatisfaction quickly transformed into a desire to do more, to try something else, to branch out...

Itachi couldn't relay his suspicions about what the Akatsuki was attempting to do to his contact, not for several months, not until he was sure. But when the experiment changed, when they decided to take a more passive role and essentially step back and _'let nature take its course'_ he was able to get a message out, brief as it was. Before the Hokage could be informed, Itachi had been required to kill the embedded Konoha spy near Hitofuki — thus forcing Tsunade to act without vital intel. The rest came together rather sloppily.

Had the Hokage received the intel that Itachi had acquired sooner, before the embedded spy was killed, he was certain that she would have reacted far differently. It was by divine providence, pure luck or just plain arrogance that the experiment had failed, but the fact that they were able to push it so far — to the point of actually creating a near-viable fetus — was disturbing.

After all, artificially creating a shinobi with a kekkei genkai was a huge undertaking. It was the kind of stuff that Orochimaru had attempted to do through genetic manipulation, but the Akatsuki wanted more. They wanted to create a weapon that could not only use a kekkei genkai but also had access to a massive pool of chakra — a pool of chakra usually only found in a jinchuriki.

That was the angle that Itachi had failed to see until it was too late. They weren't trying to create a jinchuriki. At least, not in the strictest sense. Yes, they were trying to create human weapons and yes, those weapons required a bijuu and a sealing jutsu – but they weren't sealing an actual bijuu into a human being. They were sealing complementary chakras into a pre-born child in an effort to create a kekkei genkai with a chakra pool equal to a jinchuriki.

Most kekkei genkai were a combination of two chakra natures. Ice resulted from a combination of wind and water. Lava resulted from a combination of earth and fire. Wood resulted from a combination of water and earth. Theoretically, combining fire chakra nature with an earth chakra nature should create a human with a lava kekkei genkai. And the easiest way to get a massive amount of a specific chakra nature was to use a bijuu.

Any shinobi would tell you that if given a choice they would rather face a dozen enemy shinobi over a single well-trained kekkei genkai user. Two jounin-level shinobi could have equal training, equal experience, but if one was a kekkei genkai user he typically had a huge advantage over his peer. Combine that advantage with a pool of chakra that would (seemingly) never run out and you have yourself something close to a one-man army. Worse, it was a custom made army that could be carefully designed for specific war-time strategies, battles and enemies.

It really was a brilliant idea, but Itachi still didn't want to believe that it could actually be successful. There were more than a few problems with the concept.

First and foremost, how does one truly separate that much chakra from a bijuu without becoming a jinchuriki?

Second, chakra natures don't develop in the womb. They develop shortly after birth so forcing the development of a kekkei genkai in a fetus often caused miscarriage or deformities.

Third, the experiment in Hitofuki wasn't the first, nor would it be the last. As far as Itachi was aware it had come the closest to succeeding — so why was the priority placed on recovering the infant corpse at the expense of reacquiring the surrogate, if necessary? Wouldn't they need her again?

And finally, and most puzzling of all, what did Pain and his associate hope would happen if the girl, Ami, and her unborn child were exposed to Kyubi chakra? That question threw everything that Itachi thought he knew about the experiment into chaos.

"I'm heading to the tower," Kisame said, pulling Itachi from his thoughts. "You coming?"

Itachi glance up at the kage tower that loomed behind his partner and said, "I will in a few minutes."

Kisame smiled. "Hungry?"

He wasn't. He simply wanted more time to organize his thoughts before facing Pain and the others, but the excuse that Kisame provided was a good one. "Yes. I won't be long."

The blue-skinned shinobi nodded before turning away. Itachi watched him go as he remembered their orders just before confronting the team from Konoha, '_Keep the girl near the Kyubi and try to bring out its chakra prior to birth._'

Trying to bring out the Kyubi's chakra was usually the last thing anyone who confronted Naruto wanted to do. What did they hope would happen in that situation? A large portion of Shukaku's wind chakra and Kokuo's earth chakra had already been sealed inside the fetus weeks ago with the hope that the child would be able to manipulate sand much the same way that Gaara could.

What would exposure to the Kyubi accomplish? Was this mere curiosity born out of fortunate circumstances because Naruto happened to be there, or did they have an actual hypothesis? They certainly didn't think that the fetus would be able to absorb some of the Kyubi chakra, did they? Even if such a thing were possible, it would have been too late. She was too far along, the fetus too old, too developed...

Or did they honestly think exposure to the Kyubi's fire nature would somehow combine three chakra natures and create a particle user like Onoki? Or was it _the girl_ they were trying to affect? And if they were, why leave her behind?

As Itachi made his way toward one of the nearby restaurants intent on ordering tea and onigiri, he tried to clear his troubled mind. Everything he thought he knew about the experiment was suddenly on shaky ground. He had hoped that the pink-haired medic would take the girl, take her and flee to Konoha or Suna, anywhere as long as it was far from battle. If Zetsu hadn't been watching he would have let her, perhaps even told her the quickest route to escape.

Once he met with Pain and the others he would know more about what the Akatsuki planned to do next. He suspected that this was just the beginning. They had come too close to success to quit now. It wouldn't surprise Itachi if their next step would be to reacquire the girl and try again. He just hoped Konoha and Suna were better prepared for them this time.

.

* * *

**AN:** Will there be a sequel? Maybe. But as of this moment, I would just like to relax and not think about starting another multi-chapter fic. ;)

I did do some research into this concept of artificially creating a kekkei genkai user without resorting to genetic manipulation that Orochimaru used (which created Yamato). Here are some of my notes. Not sure if this helps or not, but I aim to please. ;)

**CHAKRA TYPES:**

**Fire** (火, Hi) natured chakra allows for Fire Release (火遁, Katon), which is strong against Wind but weak against Water.  
**Wind** (風, Kaze) natured chakra allows for Wind Release (風遁, Fūton), which is strong against Lightning but weak against Fire  
**Lightning** (雷, Kaminari) natured chakra allows for Lightning Release (雷遁, Raiton), which is strong against Earth but weak against Wind  
**Earth** (土, Tsuchi) natured chakra allows for Earth Release (土遁, Doton), which is strong against Water but weak against Lightning.  
**Water** (水, Mizu) natured chakra allows for Water Release (水遁, Suiton), which is strong against Fire but weak against Earth.

**KNOWN KEKKEI GENKAI CHAKRA COMBOS:**

Water & Wind: Ice  
Earth & Water: Wood  
Fire & Earth: Lava  
Lightning & Water: Storm  
Water & Fire: Boil  
Earth & Lightning: Explosion  
Lightning & Wind: Magnetic  
Wind & Fire: Scorch  
Wind & Earth: Sand (?)  
Fire, Earth & Wind: Dust (Onoki)

**TAILED BEAST CHAKRA NATURES:**

One-Tail (Ichibi/Shukaku): Wind  
Two-Tails (Nibi/Matabi): Fire  
Three-Tails (Sanbi/Isobu): Water  
Four-Tails (Yonbi/Son Goku): Lava (Earth & Fire)  
Five-Tails (Gobi/Kokuo): Earth  
Six-Tails (Rokubi/Saiken): Water (?)  
Seven-Tails (Nanabi/Chomei): Lightning (?)  
Eight-Tails (Hachibi/Gyuki): ?  
Nine-Tails (Kyubi/Kurama): Fire


End file.
